Study of environmental indicators in a thermal power plant in Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the environmental indicators of an ISO 14001:2004 certified thermal power plant located at Raiwind road Lahore.Design/methodology/approachThe research study included employee interviews, noise monitoring, effluent and ground water sampling, stack emission testing, and assessment of the solid waste management system.FindingsSemi-structured interviews randomly conducted with employees showed a 57 percent environmental awareness response. The stack emission results showed that the nitrogen oxide (NOx) from engine no. 5 and 7 was 2,447 and 2,624 mg/Nm3, respectively, higher than the World Bank limit of 2,300 mg/Nm3 as well as exceeding the 600 mg/Nm3 set by the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) with no emission control technology in place. The ground water and effluent samples were found unfit for irrigation purposes. Electrical conductivity exceeded the permissible level of Directorate of Land Reclamation (DLR) irrigation water quality criteria of 1.5 dS/m. Similarly, the sodium absorption ratio (SAR) exceeded 10 mmolc/l. Residual sodium carbonate was more than the DLR permissible level of 2.5 me/l. The noise level in the engine hall was 103 dB(A) which is beyond the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s permissible exposure limit of 90 dB(A) and the NEQS for industrial area at day time, i.e. 75 dB(A).Research limitations/implicationsThe research analysis shows that environmental survey may serve as an example for other power plants to review their environmental policy and be more vigilant as an environmentally conscious organization.Originality/valueThis paper underscores an easy understanding and evaluation of environmental indicators that are minor but neglected in a thermal power plant. The sampling, testing, and employee awareness are crucial to gauge the level of an organization’s conformity with the international quality, occupational health, and environmental standards.