The sponsor has presented plans to address these impacts to ensure that the proposed project will, upon implementation of the specific measures agreed, comply with applicable host country laws and regulations and World Bank/IFC requirements. The information about how these potential impacts will be addressed by the sponsor/project is summarized in the paragraphs that follow.
1. Sofia Med’s property contains several major features including a ten-story office building, a four-story laboratory building, and a 109,000sq.m. factory building constructed of stone, masonry and steel, that contain casting furnaces, presses, mills and extrusion/pulling machinery. Smaller buildings including warehouses, maintenance sheds, fuel and chemical storage areas, and wastewater treatment systems are located to the east and south of the main factory. Properties immediately surrounding and adjacent to the Sofia Med facility are utilized for industrial purposes. South of the site is a state-owned electricity and steam power generation plant. The Iskar River is 150 meters to the East. Beyond the immediate surrounding area are other industrial facilities, residential apartment complexes, a hospital, and schools.
2. Environmental investments will include the construction of a new wastewater treatment system. The new system will consist of new oil separation, lime neutralization and precipitation processes, and a filter press to remove solids. Oil will continue to be collected in an above ground storage tank and recycled off site. The slime that is currently produced will be filtered in a mechanical press, and the filter cake will be stored on site pending recovery. This will result in less raw pollutant concentrations in the effluent.
3. Process and cooling water is recirculated. Sofia Med treats the process wastewater by neutralization, separation and flocculation, with a portion of the treated water discharged to the sewer. All wastewater effluents include sanitary sewage, industrial waters, and storm runoff is discharged to the city of Sofia’s sewer system. Employee sanitary sewage is currently collected and combined with the industrial effluent. Storm water runoff will be collected and discharged appropriately and in compliance with Bulgarian requirements.
4. The furnaces for melting use electricity as power source (electric induction). Natural gas will be supplied by pipeline, to provide thermal power for the preheating furnaces. An adjacent public generating station, Iztok TPP, provides electric power. The electric power enters Sofia Med via an underground tunnel that runs along the western perimeter, and is distributed to the furnaces through transformers. Temporarily heat for offices is provided by propane or electric space heaters. Manufacturing operations generate heat in the shops. All non-consumptive water used for sanitary purposes and for process cooling and lubrication is provided by water wells tapping the deep aquifer. Sofia Med provides bottled water for drinking purposes.
5. Sludge/slimes from the wastewater treatment process is stored on-site in 6.9 m³ steel containers. Slime has a copper content of approximately 3% and will be sold for copper recovery. Sofia Med estimates that approximately 20 tons will be generated in 2001.
It is planned to reduce the use of pickling to remove scale, which will reduce the quantity of slime formed. Oil and oily emulsions are used to lubricate the press machinery. Oil and mixtures are collected in pits and transferred by pump and pipeline to treatment and/or storage. Other solid wastes come from several sources. Metal scrap is recycled; domestic trash is collected and disposed at the licensed municipal facility. Small amounts of hazardous wastes (past operation residues, spent batteries, acid, oil and emulsion waste, oil sludge, glue waste) are kept on site until a government owned and operated hazardous waste storage facility is available.
6. Raw material handling and manufacturing operations are conducted in an enclosed building. This building has several interconnected structures. Manufacturing operations in the melting shop are serviced by a single air collection and filtering system. A separate air collection system exists servicing the operations in the pickling line. Sources of air emissions include the exhaust gases, dust and fumes from charging furnaces and grinding slag, oil, sulfuric and chromic acid aerosols. Although KOCM has occasionally exceeded Bulgarian emission standards in the past, the current Sofia Med atmospheric air quality is in compliance with permissible limits. The more efficient nature of the foundry production process will reduce dust emissions, to be controlled through the installation of a new, improved dust removal equipment (e.g., cyclones).
7. Asbestos containing materials include pipe insulation, furnace components, and building construction materials. A comprehensive survey, including testing, to identify the location and quantify all asbestos insulation material used in the facility will be made. An asbestos management plan will be developed including health protection procedures for handling and disposal. PCBs were detected in three or four transformers at a concentration above desired levels. They will be replaced with others without PCB content. Transformers without PCB will be regularly inspected for leaks, and the soil under the leaking ones will be monitored and then cleaned regularly.
8. Potentially hazardous chemicals have been handled and used over the life of the operation, thus the potential for significant soil and groundwater contamination exists. A historical slime platform exists outside Sofia Med’s property, which is currently being investigated for any contamination. Sofia Med will take all necessary action to design a solution acceptable for all parties for removal of the existing contamination.
9. Noise levels for nearby apartment complexes adjacent to the plant will not exceed Bulgarian requirements established for residential areas. The levels do not exceed World Bank Group guidelines. Although the issue of whether residential or industrial noise limits should apply remains unresolved, indoor noise levels will be periodically measured throughout the plant and ears plugs and/or muffs will be provided accordingly. In addition, sound isolated rooms will be installed in the required places, such as the compressor unit. Sofia Med is, nevertheless, taking actions to reduce the most significant noise sources by replacing the outdated equipment with new, as for example, old compressors with new compressors.
10. Sofia Med currently addresses (or has plans to address) all aspects of employee health and safety including workplace air quality, fire fighting and emergency response, housekeeping, and health and safety training. Adequate safety precautions are in place and personnel is provided with personal protective equipment (i.e., ear protection, safety glasses) appropriate for the different working environments in the plant. All new plant equipment will have modern safety guards and enclosures to appropriately protect operators. All workers will be provided with personal protective equipment. Indoor dust will be prevented by means of adequate ventilation systems and dedusting equipment. In the high temperature areas, especially nearby foundry furnaces, personnel will work for short duration and cooling air will be provided. Appropriate safety measures will be applied for electrical systems and mechanical equipment, thus reducing risks for workers. Stringent local regulations will be enforced including periodic health examinations and on site medical personnel. Management conducts and will continue to conduct regular quarterly inspections by senior management and supervisors. Sofia Med will also provide all new employees with adequate health and safety training.
11. Sofia Med has an ongoing fire protection and emergency response program. A comprehensive safety plan will be maintained for the plant. Each shift has a designated, trained fire fighting brigade. Fire and/or smoke alarms are appropriately located throughout the plant.
