GAZETTE NOTICE NO. 75

PURSUANT to Regulation 21 of the Environmental Management and Co-ordination (Impact Assessment and Audit) Regulations, 2003, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has received an Environmental Impact Assessment Study Report for the above proposed project. The Proponent (Top Steel (Kenya) Limited)) is proposing set up and operate a steel milling plant on Plot L.R. No. Kwale/ Mwavumbo/177 in Mwavumbo area of Kwale County. The proposed plant is designed to consist of three major installations with a total capacity of producing 157,000 tons of steel products per year. The three installations are;  Mechanized and Automated Rolling mill of 125,000 tons per year capacity for the manufacture of Thermo- Mechanically Treated (TMT) bars known as Top TMT.  Light and Medium Structural Mill with an installed capacity of 20,000 tons per year.  Tube Mill Plant with an installed capacity of 12,000 tons per year. The following are the anticipated impacts and proposed mitigation measures: Impacts Mitigation measures Increased demand for water and energy  Construction quality water will be brought in from available sources  Contractor will ensure that usage avoids wastage  Excavation and construction machines will be in good condition to avoid unnecessary consumption of fuel.  Ensure planning of transportation of materials to 2nd January, 2015 THE KENYA GAZETTE ensure that fossil fuels (diesel, petrol) are not consumed in excessive amounts. Occupational health and safety of workers  The contractor will register the site as a workplace with the Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety (DOHS).  Provision of adequate and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including safety shoes, helmets, gloves and overalls.  Employees to be given the correct tools and equipments for the jobs assigned.  Employees to be trained in the use of all equipment that they will be required to operate.  Rest times and breaks will be observed.  First aid services and an emergency vehicle to be readily available at the site. Workforce sanitation  Procurement of portable sanitary facilities for use by the workforce until a time when the construction of permanent sanitary facilities will be completed.  Emptying of these portable facilities by licensed waste handlers. Solid wastes at site  Procure the services of a NEMA licensed waste handler to manage solid wastes from the construction site.  All recyclable materials should be collected and sent to a licensed company for recycling.  Procure only the required raw materials to prevent wastage.  Use of durable, long-lasting materials that will not need to be replaced as often, thereby reducing the amount of construction waste generated over time.  Provide facilities for proper handling and storage of construction materials to reduce the amount of waste caused by damage.  Use materials that have minimal or no packaging to avoid the generation of excessive packaging waste. Air pollution  The contractor will secure the site using appropriate dust screens.  Materials that are likely to produce dust such as ballast should be sprinkled with water before use.  Access road and dusty surfaces at the site will be sprinkled with water to minimize dust.  The contractor should seek to use of coarse dust free river sand for the construction.  Employees will be provided with appropriate dust masks. Noise generation  Delivery of raw materials, excavation and construction work and will be limited to day time hours only.  Delivery of raw materials will be done so as to exclude weekends.  Concrete mixers will be located as far as practical from neighboring properties.  The contractor shall inform neighbors in writing prior to commencement of the works so that they are prepared psychologically at least two weeks in advance.  Employees using equipment that produce peak sounds shall be provided with earmuffs.  The contractor will endeavor to comply with Noise Regulations (Legal Notice No. 61 of 2009. Potential fire  The proponent will develop a fire hazard hazard mitigation plan by consulting a competent fire safety auditor.  The mitigation plan will include fire fighting installations such as fire blankets.  Fire safety and emergency evacuation plan shall be developed and drills conducted to test its efficacy.  There shall be well trained and designated fire marshals who shall remain available on site always.  Fuel storage shall be in a designated area that meets specifications of the oil sector.  Electrical audits shall be undertaken biannually.  All plant machinery will be installed and operated to manufactures‘ specifications.  All plant machinery will be installed and operated to manufactures‘ specifications.  Only professionally qualified employees will be operating the plant machinery.  Many of the manufacturing procedures will be automated to minimize possibility of injury to workers.  Workers will be provided with appropriate PPE and the use of the PPE enforced.  Access to the plant will be controlled to limit exposure to hazards.  Warning and informative signage will be on display at appropriate sections of the plant.  Visitors to the plant will be provided with PPE and accompanied by qualified staff member of staff to potentially risky areas within the plant. Increased traffic  The increase in HCVs traffic along the road leading to the site is inevitable as these have to deliver raw materials and collect the finished products.  The proponent will provide appropriate parking within the site to ensure that such vehicles do not wait beside the road.  The timing of the delivery of raw materials and dispatch of the finished goods will be communicated in advance to concerned parties to ensure that there is no congestion of HCVs coming into or leaving the site.  The HCVs motorists will be required to practice due diligence while on the road. Effluent  Industrial waste water will be put in recirculation with topping up by normal water (as much of it is used for cooling).  The proponent is advised to install an effluent treatment plant to domestic waste water before discharge. The full report of the proposed project is available for inspection during working hours at: (a) Director-General, NEMA, Popo Road, off Mombasa Road, P.O. Box 67839–00200, Nairobi. (b) Principal Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, NHIF Building, Community, P.O. Box 30521, Nairobi. (c) County Director of Environment, Kwale County. The National Environment Management Authority invites members of the public to submit oral or written comments within thirty (30) days from the date of publication of this notice to the Director-General, NEMA, to assist the Authority in the decision making process of the plan. KODIA BISIA, for Director-General, MR/6794128 National Environment Management Authority. THE KENYA GAZETTE 2nd January, 2015 24 24