ENVIRONMENTAL

EGINEERING
BFC 32403
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING

1
ENVIRONMENTAL
ENGINEERING
Environmental engineering is manifest by sound
engineering thought and practice in the solution of
problems of environmental sanitation (cleanliness),
particularly in the provision of safe, palatable
(pleasant), and ample of environmental fields.

Environmental Engineering is the

integration of science and engineering
principles to improve the natural
environment, to provide healthy water,
air, and land for human habitation and
for other organisms, and to remediate
pollution sites
2
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO THE EMERGENCE
OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
Major Global Meetings
1972 Stockholm United Nations
Conference on the Human Environment
1987 World Commission on Environment
and Development (WCED), Brundtland
report: Our Common Future
1987 Montreal Protocol
1992 Rio Summit in Brazil (Earth Summit):
Agenda 21
1997 Kyoto Protocol
2001 Johannesburg Earth Summit
Issues
Pollution, rates of depletion of non
renewable fossil fuels and population
growth
Idea of sustainable development
Substances that deplete the ozone layer
Ozone depletion, tropical deforestation,
loss of biodiversity, and global warming
Controlling the emissions of greenhouse
gases
Energy, freshwater, food security and
health
3
Environmental Scientists and Engineers

Environmental Scientist Environmental Engineer

Identify and quantify
pollution problem
Evaluate source and nature of
pollution problem
Evaluate environmental
impact
Solve pollution problem
Evaluate possible solutions
Design, build and operate
pollution control systems

4
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

AIR
SOILS WATER

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

FOREST SEA

SOLID & HAZARDOUS WASTE

5
 Human Activities = Impacts

Ozone depletion
Global warming

Loss of
Air ,water & land biodiversity
pollution

Population increase
Resource depletion Economic growth
WHAT IS GLOBAL CHANGE ?
Global change includes
natural and human- induced
changes in the Earth's
environment .
Global change can be
defined as changes in the
global environment (
alterations in climate
land productivity
oceans or other water
resources
atmospheric chemistry
ecological systems
Human Population Growth

Population growth is the

central cause of the
environmental crisis.
It also depends on the
nature and degree of
industrialization.
The worlds population
presently grows by about
250,000 people per day.
2011: 6,928,198,253
2014: 7.1 billion
2020: ??
Over-population leads to:
Resource
depletion
Resource
degradation
Pollution
Loss of
biodiversity
Impact of Over Population
Pollution : A Silent Killer

People are exposed to harmful

pollutants in the air they breathe, the
liquids they drink, the food they eat,
the surface they touch, and the
products they use.

When the environment can not process the

load of pollutants , pollution takes place.
Every environmental system has a carrying
capacity.
 High cancer
rates in Malaysia
Almost 20% of the population
would suffer from at least one
form of cancer, the first
National Cancer Registry
report revealed today.
Probably due to:
Contaminated food & water
Polluted environment
Lifestyle

12
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION AND
REGULATION IN MALAYSIA
Managed by DOE

Concept of the National Policy Of The Environment

13
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT
MALAYSIA - history
Department of Environment (DOE) - created as Environment
Division under the Ministry of Local Government and
Environment on 15 April 1975.

Environment Division was then placed under the Ministry of

Science, Technology and Environment in March 1976.

Based on the importance of environmental protection and

conservation, on 1 September 1983, the Environment Division
has been upgraded to a Department known as the Department
of Environment.

On March 2004, DOE was then placed under the Ministry of

Natural Resources and Environment.
14
DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT
MALAYSIA
The establishment of DOE is based on the Environmental
Quality Act, 1974 which was enacted in March 1974 and came
into force on 15 April 1975.
The main function of the DOE is to prevent, eliminate, control
pollution and improve the environment, consistent with the
purposes of the Environmental Quality Act 1974 and the
regulations thereunder.

15
 MALAYSIAN POLICY ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
The Aims:
The National Policy on the Environment aims at continued
economic, social, and cultural progress of Malaysia and
enhancement of the quality of life of its people, through
environmentally sound and sustainable development.
The Objectives are to achieve :
1. A clean, safe, healthy and productive environment for present
and future generations
2. Conservation of the countrys unique and diverse cultural and
natural heritage with effective participation by all sectors of
society
3. Sustainable lifestyles and patterns of consumption and
production 16
MALAYSIA POLICY ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
The National Policy on the environment is based on 8
principles that harmonies economic development goals
with environmental imperatives. These interrelated and
mutually supporting principles are:

1. Stewardship of the Environment

Exercise respect and care for the environment in
accordance with the highest moral and ethical
standards.
2. Conservation of Natures Vitality and Diversity
Conserve natural ecosystems to ensure integrity of
biodiversity and life support systems.
17
MALAYSIA POLICY ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
3. Continuous Improvement in the Quality of the
Environment
Ensure continuous improvement in the productivity
and quality of the environment while pursuing
economic growth and human development objectives.
4. Sustainable Use of Natural Resources
Manage natural resource utilization to sustain the
resource base and prevent degradation of the
environment.
5. Integrated Decision-Making
Integrate environmental dimensions in the planning
and implementation of the policies, objective and
mandates of all sectors to protect the environment.

18
MALAYSIA POLICY ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
6. Role of Private Sector
Strengthen the role of the private sector in
environmental protection and management.
7. Commitment and Accountability
Ensure the highest commitment to environmental
protection and accountability by all decision-makers in
the public and private sectors, resource users, non-
Governmental organizations and the general public, in
formulating, planning and implementing their activities
8. Active participation in the International Community
Participate actively and effectively in regional and global
efforts towards environmental conservations and
enhancement.
Important link:
http://www.nre.gov.my/English/Environment/Pages/envir
onment.aspx and http://www.doe.gov.my/portal/ 19
MALAYSIAN ENVIRONMENTAL
LAW
The regulatory and legal framework
governing environmental issues is set out
in the Environmental Quality Act 1974,
commonly referred to as the EQA.
The EQA establishes the Director-General
of Environmental Quality who heads the
DOE and the Environmental Quality
Council comprising Government and
industry representatives.
The EQA is designed for the prevention,
abatement, control of pollution and
enhancement of the environment.
20
MALAYSIAN
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
To date, Minister has promulgated thirteen sets of
environmental regulations, governing specific
industries, such as the following:

1. Licensing regulations
2. Clean Air regulations
3. Compounding of Offence rules
4. Sewage and Industrial Effluents regulations
5. Motor Vehicle Noise regulations
6. Environmental Impact Assessment List of
Prescribed Activities
7. Three sets of regulations pertaining to
generation, treatment and disposal of Scheduled
Wastes
21
8. Control of Smoke and Gas Emission rules
 MALAYSIAN ENVIRONMENTAL
LAWS
Malaysia has many agencies and laws that are responsible for
the control of traffic on toxic and dangerous products and
wastes. These include :

1. Petroleum Development Act 1974

2. Petroleum Mining Act 1966
3. Petroleum (Safety Measures) Act 1984
4. Dangerous Trade Enactment
5. Poisons Act 1955
6. Poisons (Agricultural and Industrial) Ordinance
7. Pesticides Act 1974
8. Explosives Act 1975
9. The Technical Instruction for Safe Transport of Dangerous
Goods by Air
22
National Water Services
Commission Act 2006 (Act 654)

The National Water Services Act 2006 or the

Suruhanjaya Perkhidmatan Air Negara Act
2006 which came into effect on 1 February
2007 is enforced by the Ministry of Energy,
Water and Communication.
This Act was enforced to establish a body
known as the Suruhanjaya Perkihdmatan Air
Negara (SPAN), or the National Water
Services Commission to regulate and
enforce the provisions of the Water Industry
Services Act 2006 (Act 655) known as WSIA.
23
National Water Services
Commission Act 2006 (Act 654)

The Commission, which is fully functional

since 1 January 2008, is a central regulatory
agency to oversee adequate, clean and
healthy water supply including the treated
water supply.
The Commission shall have all the functions
conferred on it under the water supply and
sewerage services laws and shall also have
the following functions:

24
National Water Services
Commission Act 2006 (Act 654)

to implement and enforce the water supply and

sewerage services laws and to recommend
reforms to the water supply and sewerage
services laws;
to ensure the productivity of the water supply and
sewerage services industry and the monitoring of
operators compliance with stipulated services
standards, contractual obligations and relevant
laws and guidelines;
to ensure national development goals pertaining
to coverage, supply and access to water supply
services and sewerage services are achieved;
25
The Water Services Industry Act
2006 (WSIA) (Act 655)

The Water Services Industry Act 2006 (WSIA)

which came into force on 1 January 2008 is a
federal law and enacted to regulate water
supply services and sewerage service
industry.
The WSIA is enacted for the following
objectives:
to ensure uniformity of law and policy to
make a law for the proper control and
regulation of water supply services
throughout Peninsular Malaysia and the
Federal Territories of Putrajaya and
Labuan;
maya@kuittho.edu.my, copyright 2007 26
 Three main subsidiary legislation have
been introduces in this Act;
Water Services Industry (Licensing)
Regulations 2007) prescribes all
matters relating to the issuance of
individual licenses and registration of
class licenses granted under WSIA.
Water Services Industry (Permit)
Rules2007 issues rules on all matters
relating to the issuance of permits
granted under WSIA.
Water Services Industry (Licensing)
(Exemption) Order 2007 exempts a
person from individual or class licensing
requirement, by order of the Minister.
maya@kuittho.edu.my, copyright 2007 27
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT (EIA)
The aim of EIA is to assess the overall
impact on the environment of development
projects proposed by the public and private
sectors. The objectives of EIA are:
1. To examine and select the best from the
project options available
2. To identify and incorporate into the project
plan appropriate abatement and mitigation
measures
3. To predict the significant residual
environmental impacts
4. To identify the environmental costs and
benefits of the project to the community.

28
WHY IS EIA SO
IMPORTANT?
EIA is essentially a planning
tool for preventing
environmental problems due
to action. It seeks to avoid
costly mistakes in project
implementation, or
modifications in order to
make the action
environmentally acceptable.
In Malaysia, EIA is required
under section 34A of the
EQA.
29
CONCLUSION

Addressing environmental issues is imperative in the

quest of making Malaysia an advanced nation. Law
and legal obligations must be considered obligation
must be considered when undertaking any
development, which may impact the environment, no
matter how small. Professionals and people of various
backgrounds play a major role in using their skills to
manage and control pollution. The oft-quoted native
Indian proverb which was at the heart of the
Brundtland Report rings true:
We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we
owe it to our children.

30
END

31