The sponsor has presented plans to address these issues and demonstrate the proposed project will comply with applicable local regulations and World Bank policies and guidelines. The information provided indicating how these potential impacts will be addressed is summarized in the paragraphs that follow.
The plant is located in the city zone of Sarajevo, Bosnia. The project will be carried out within the existing plant premises. Thus, it does not require any resettlement of communities or any economical displacement.
The project generates air emissions from the process and from four 3-ton capacity boilers which, are operated one at a time. Since natural gas is the fuel used, the boiler emissions of concern are NOx. The sponsor has in place rigorous boiler testing and maintenance programs; however, NOx emissions are not tested. To ensure compliance with the World Bank guidelines, the sponsor will test the NOx emissions from the boilers and submit the results to IFC as soon as they are ready. In addition, in a period of three years beginning on the year 2000, the sponsor will replace the existing boiler burners with low NOx burners. As a back up, Bosnalijek has a diesel generator which fuel is stored in a double containment 60-tons aboveground storage tank.
Air emissions will be controlled by 99.999 percent efficient HEPA air filters installed in all areas where there is handling of dry materials and there is potential for air emissions release. The air emissions to the atmosphere will comply with the applicable World Bank guidelines.
Process and domestic wastewaters are generated. All Bosnalijek wastewaters are currently sent to the municipal collector without treatment. As part of the project, Bosnalijek will segregate the wastewaters, build a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) and treat those wastewaters to the levels specified in the applicable World Bank guidelines before being discharged. Bosnalijek is currently applying for a Dutch government grant to built the WWTP and will keep IFC informed about the status of such grant. In any case, Bosnalijek will built the WWTP.
Bosnalijek generates solid as well as liquid hazardous and non-hazardous residues. Wastes include dust from exhaust filters including the filters, discarded final products, expired products, waste oils, resins, and none hazardous residues. Bosnalijek has begun the contact with an Austrian company specialized in destruction and final disposal of hazardous materials to treat their hazardous wastes. As soon as agreement has been reached with this company, Bosnalijek will inform IFC of the terms of the agreement and the deadline for the remotion of the materials. Recyclable materials, such as paper, are collected and send to recycle centers. Domestic residues and non-recyclable materials, including discarded resins from the demineralizing water unit, are send to the authorized municipal disposal site.
Once generated, the hazardous materials are collected from the point of origination and properly stored and labeled in a secure hazardous wastes storage warehouse. The fuel oil is properly stored in a double-containment aboveground storage tank, thus reducing the risk of soil contamination from leaks or accidental spills. The laboratory samples are also stored in a secure room for a period of four years, as required by the good manufacturing practices (GMP), after which, they are transferred to the hazardous wastes warehouse. As part of the project, the laboratory samples storage will build a spill prevention system, the raw materials storage areas will be upgraded, and the flammable substances will be stored in a separate building, which will have fire safety prevention systems.
Bosnalijek has employee safety measures in place including precise written standard operating procedures (SOP) for all phases of the project stating the type of precautions and safety equipment to be used to prevent any incident/accident. However as part of the project, Bosnalijek will further improve the safety measures, conducting periodic medical check-ups, developing additional training programs, preparing additional SOPs, etc. As part of their safety program, Bosnalijek will require in their contractors agreements full compliance with Bosnalijek’s safety programs.
The on-going boiler house improvement program (i.e., check and replace pumps and valves, stop leaks, paint and beautify grounds, etc.), as well as the on-going flammable storage area will be finalized by project completion.
Bosnalijek will inform IFC about the environmental conditions and the environmental measures needed to be implemented before initiating any remodeling or demolition of the structures within the premises not currently occupied. In addition, if during the life of the project Bosnalijek acquires additional area, Bosnalijek will also inform IFC about the environmental conditions of the additional property and the environmental mitigations if required.
Bosnalijek has developed an environmental policy, anticipates obtaining ISO 14000 within the next two years, and has an environmental specialist in-charge of overseen the environmental aspects of the project.
Before the first disbursement, Bosnalijek will submit to IFC the following: (i) an outline of the EMS to be implemented, (ii) an outline of the environmental and safety employee training program, and (iii) the list of the additional areas requiring development of SOPs.
At project completion, Bosnalijek will commission an independent environmental audit and will submit the results to IFC to demonstrate compliance of the project with the applicable World Bank guidelines and the Bosnian environmental regulations.
