Week -9

<ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS>
 CILOs

C1. Discuss in detail about the specialist theories and concepts of the ethics in engineering practice and
engineering laws.
C2. Apply different engineering laws to solve legal issues to avoid litigation, arbitration or other forms of
dispute resolution.
C3. Develop the rights and duties and ethical responsibilities of the major contracting parties (architect,
engineer, construction manager, general contractor, subcontractor and supplier) from different case
studies incorporated.
C4. Critically evaluate engineering and construction cases to determine if there is legal entitlement, a
cause and effect analysis, ethical analysis and reasonable damages.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Environmental Laws>

•Environmental and natural resources law is also known as environmental law
refers to a set of treaties, regulations and common laws which deals with the
effects of activities of humans on the environment.

•Kingdom of Bahrain is working towards the cause of environmental protection

and puts important environmental rules to solve the problems related to
environment.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Air Quality Laws>

•Air Quality laws mainly regulate the exhaustions and emissions of pollutants into the
atmosphere.

•This includes regulating the quality of air within the buildings as well.

•Air quality laws are designed to protect human length by eliminating the
concentrations of pollutants in air.

•Environmental regulations such as control of pollutants that affect the ozone layer,
emissions that cause acid rain etc are applicable in this laws.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Bahrain Air quality laws>

•In 1986 an air monitoring system utilizing a station was implemented. In 2006, the monitoring system
was updated with 5 mobile stations in governorates, storing the data automatically to the central
computer to the general authority for the protection of Marine resources environment and wildlife.

•Resolution number 10 of 1999 deals with the environmental standards of air and water which is
amended to law no. 2 of 2001 and law no. 3 of 2001

•Resolution number 8 of 2002 deals with the standards of substances that are exhausted from vehicles
or inspections.

•Resolution number 10 of 2006 related to the installation of direct monitoring of pollutants that affect
air.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Measures taken in industries in Bahrain>

• Bahrain International Airport

• Airport initiated measures to control noise pollution and to reduce the
emissions of aircraft engines it was decided that no licenses will be granted
for old aircrafts at the airport.
• The measures in the international airport is taken with adherence to Chicago
convention of 1944 which was adopted in Bahrain in 1971
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Measures taken in industries in Bahrain>

• Bahrain Petroleum Company

• One of the main measures is production of gasoline which is unleaded in
2000.
• Another measure was reduction of sulphur in diesel from 6500ppm to
500ppm for the domestic use
• A gas desulphurisation plant was implemented in 2010 to reduce the
amount of contaminants present in the water produced by the operations of
the refinery and also for reducing sulphur dioxide from gases.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Measures taken in industries in Bahrain>

• Gulf Petrochemicals Industries Company (GPIC)

• Company initiated measures to recycle and convert carbon dioxide into
products that are useful.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Water Quality Laws>

•Water quality laws deals with the governing laws that control the pollutants into water
resources like surface water, ground water etc.

•some of the water quality laws is dealing with the protection of human health for example
drinking water laws.

• There are also laws on the chemicals, radiological components, biological components in
water resources mainly protect the water resources.

•The law has parts that can identify categorize water pollutants and limiting the amount of
pollutants in the water resources.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Bahrain Water Quality Laws>

•Resolution number 10 of 1999 deals with the environmental standards of air and
water which is amended to law no. 2 of 2001 and law no. 3 of 2001

•The law also reaffirms that water resources council is responsible for the water policy
which includes protection, development of water resources.

•Water resources council encouraged to use waste water for irrigation in agriculture
sector.

•Many campaigns and programs aimed at water serving is initiated.

Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

<Waste Management Laws>

•Waste management laws deals with the transport, treatment, storage and disposal
of all wastes which includes, solid, hazardous waste etc.

•This law also has laws that mandate recycling of hazardous components.
Categorization and levels of pollutants in water is also considered.

•Resolution number 1 of 2001 deals with the management of health care wastes.

•Resolution number of 3 of 2006 deals with the management of hazardous waste.

Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Chemical Substances Regulatory Law>

•Resolution number 1 of 1999 deals with the control of substances that damage the ozone layer

•Resolution number 4 of 1999 deals with the work permits in the maintenance of buildings and
equipments containing asbestos

•Resolution number 7 of 2002 deals with the control of the import and the use of restricted chemicals

•Resolution number 4 of 2006 dealing with the management of chemical materials

•There is also an adoption of strategic approached to chemical substances known as SAICM

Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

Article 1
Organizations and individuals are prevented from working in the maintenance of
buildings which contains substances like asbestos, its transportation and disposal of the
waste without permission from the environmental authority.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

Article 2
Inorder to obtain a license to work on substances like asbestos the applicant can submit
an application to the directorate of environmental authority. This application also
requires the following details.
A list containing the name and cpr numbers of the qualified workers to carry out the
work
A copy of the qualifications and experience certifications of the workers and technicians
approved by the authorities concerned.
A recent medical certificate certifying the health of workers certifying that they are free
of respiratory illness of any kind, issued in a date not exceeding 14 days prior to the date
of filing of application
List of equipments to carry out the work for example suction material, barriers, etc
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

Article 5
A party who has acquired license should maintain all the documents, information are
related to the workers who are dealing with asbestos after recording them in a register.
These documents must be maintained for a period of 15 years from the date of
commencement of registration and updation of such documents must be done in every
6 months.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Law number 1 of 1999 on the control of ozone layer damaging

materials>
• Article 2
• The appliances and equipments that can damage ozone layer are prohibited
to be used and is applicable to aerosol chargers, containers that has
controlled materials as following:
• Carbon chloroform compounds, Halon compounds, Carbon tetra chloride,
HBFC’s etc.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Law number 1 of 1999 on the control of ozone layer damaging

materials>
• Article 6

• It is prevented to import and use controlled substances in any industries in

cleaning operations, printed electronic circuits, air-conditioning system,

sterilization etc.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Law number 1 of 1999 on the control of ozone layer damaging

materials>
• Article 7

• The environmental authority will prepare timing for the disposal of controlled

materials in accordance with the Montreal protocol. This timetable will be updated

in an annual basis. The authority can give notice of timetable to the firms in the

month of October every year, which will come to effect from the beginning of the

coming year.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Energy conservation measures >

• Green policy programme was developed in Bahrain for optimizing of

energy, use of natural resources in a rational way and compliance to

traditional methods rather than modern technology which can save energy.

• Using CFL energy saving methods on housing and in public buildings

• Using of LED based lighting on streets and main roads.

Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Sustainable Development >

• United Nations Earth Summit in 1992 resulted in Rio Declaration, under principle 3,

the sustainable development concept was elaborated.

• The concept was defined as” right to development must be considered considering

the developmental and environmental requirements of the present and future

generations.”
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< Ethics Related to Environmental Protection >

• There is a responsibility of engineers as well as the researchers for environment like
protecting and ensuring the safety of public along with the conservation of the eco
system. But these involves two level risks

• Hazards which are unrecognized and causing a greater level of threat to the
environment.
• Hazards which are recognized at first but cannot be fully eliminated and mitigated
only by increasing other risks and other costs.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

< NSPE Code on Sustainable Development >

• NSPE has particulary identified the importance of sustainable development and included the

following code of ethics to be followed.

• Section II.1.F- Engineers shall comply with the principles of sustainable development to protect the

environment for the future generations.

• The concept of sustainable development as per NSPE definition is

• “Sustainable development is defined as the challenge of meeting human needs of natural resources,

food, energy etc with the conservation of eco system necessary for future development”
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

<Examples- Case studies>

1) A well known chemical plant in Bahrain is emitting out hazardous substances that
affect the environment and affects the ozone layer causing severe effects of ultra
violet radiation. 1. Can this company be bound according to the laws of Bahrain

• 2. Which Bahrain law is violated in this case

• 1. yes this company can be bound according to the laws of Bahrain since the
chemical plant is emitting out hazardous chemicals that damages the ozone layer.

• 2. In this case Resolution number 1 of 1999 deals with the control of substances
that damage the ozone layer is violated
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

<Examples- Case studies>

2) Engineer A is a principal in an environmental engineering firm and is requested by
a developer client to prepare an analysis of a piece of property adjacent to a
wetlands area for potential development as a residential project. During the firm’s
analysis, one of the engineering firm’s biologists reports to Engineer A that in his
opinion, the project could threaten a bird species that inhabits the adjacent
protected wetlands area. The bird species in not an “endangered species,” but it is
considered a “threatened species” by environmental laws. In subsequent
discussions with the developer client, Engineer A verbally mentions the concern, but
Engineer A does not include the information in a written report that will be
submitted to a public authority that is considering the developer’s proposal. Was it
ethical for Engineer A not to include the information about the threat to the bird
species in a written report that will be submitted to a public authority that is
considering the developer’s proposal?
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

<Examples- Case studies>

• It was unethical for Engineer A to not include the information about the threat to
the bird species in a written report that will be submitted to a public authority that
is considering the developer’s proposal. Engineer A should have included it in the
written report and advised the client of its inclusion.

• NSPE CODE violated in this case is Section II.1.F- Engineers shall comply with the
principles of sustainable development to protect the environment for the future
generations.
Week 9: < ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS >

<Exercises>
1)A well known chemical plant in Bahrain was emitting harmful pollutants like carbon
dioxide and carbon monoxide to the atmosphere in excessive quantity. Upon
finding out the violation, a case was filed against this company. Discuss what
violation of law can be filed against them.

2)An inspection conducted in a chemical factory found out that the exhausts and the
untreated water from the plant is directly ejected out to the surrounding habitat.
with reference to the bahrain laws suggest the possible cases that can be filed
against this factory premises.
 •Environmental and natural resources law is also known as
environmental law refers to a set of treaties, regulations
and common laws which deals with the effects of activities
of humans on the environment.

Sum Up •Kingdom of Bahrain is working towards the cause of

environmental protection and puts important
environmental rules to solve the problems related to
environment.