Industry Study Environmental Issues

Resources, Alternatives, Limitations Large quantities of wood are used each year in the Australian furniture industry in the form of commercial timber and manufactured boards. In providing the raw material necessary to produce these products, huge areas of native forests have been cleared. Those that remain are either being closely monitored or, as in some areas, logging has been totally banned because of environmental concerns. Some basic environmental concerns with forest clearing are: Destruction of the natural habitat which can lead to the depletion and even extinction of birds, animals and plant species, Land degradation and erosion, and Climate change.

The quality of human life will be affected if the rapid depletion of the world's forests is not halted. Many countries, including Australia are implementing programs to ensure continued supplies of wood in the future and to address some of the environmental concerns. In Australia, the use of native forests for wood chipping (or manufactured boards and paper production) and indiscriminate logging of native forests have caused heated debate in the past. These environmentally sensitive situations are gradually being improved by the implementation of forest management programs, re-forestation and plantation farming. Resources, Alternatives, Limitations

Industrial Waste Industrial Waste and its disposal is an environmental concern that impacts on industry generally and also on individuals. In the furnishing industry industrial waste could be in many forms such as timber off-cuts, saw dust, sanding dust, shavings, chips, upholstery foams, fabrics, used solvents, laminated plastic off-cuts and packaging materials. Industrial waste that cannot be recycled should be disposed of commercially in the proper manner. Plastic based materials should never be burned as they give off toxic fumes and pollute the air. Chemical and solvent spillage should be cleaned up immediately with due care and attention to personal safety and environmental protection.

Impact on Individuals Impact on Individuals Environmental impacts on individuals who work in the furnishings industry mainly relate to the quality of air and the level of noise in and around the work area.

Air quality Air quality in and around a furniture factory could be affected by airborne particles or toxic fumes, both of which could cause respiratory problems for people in the area. Woodworking machines and power tools create chips or dust from the material being processed. Medium density fibreboard, for example, gives off very fine dust when it is machined or sanded. If this dust is airborne it creates a potential health hazard. In the work environment, personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used. Ideally, stationary machines should be connected to a factory dust extraction system and portable power tools should be fitted with dust bags or to a portable dust extraction system. A factory extraction system that is inadequate or poorly maintained could cause air pollution in the general area, thus creating an environmental impact on individuals outside the work place.

Air quality Solvent based finishing material and adhesives give off pungent and usually toxic fumes which could cause air pollution in the work place and surrounding area. Contact glue, for example should be used only in well ventilated areas. Polishing shops, where lacquers and other solvent based finishing materials are applied and sprayed, should be equipped with adequate exhaust systems and proper ventilation. Personal protective respiratory equipment should be worn when necessary and exhaust systems should be maintained regularly.

Noise pollution Noise pollution is an unavoidable environmental impact on individuals who work in a furniture factory. Woodworking machines all create noise. Some, such as a planer/thicknesser can produce extremely high levels of noise. Exposure to high levels of industrial noise can cause short term and also permanent hearing loss. In the work environment, managerial and engineering solutions can be implemented to reduce industrial noise to safe levels in many situations. On the personal level, individuals should wear protective devices where a health hazard is caused by excessive noise. Most noise is contained within the factory building, therefore, if properly managed, it should not cause serious impact outside the work area. Sometimes, equipment such as generators, compressors and extraction systems are situated outside the building. If these are not properly housed they could create noise that exceeds allowable levels.

Noise control Noise control legislation has been enacted in most states to control levels of industrial and domestic noise. The part of this legislation that relates to the furnishing industry is concerned with industrial and non-domestic noise. Industrial and non-domestic noise regulations stipulate the maximum levels of noise exposure for employees and also for people living in the general area of a factory, during both day and night operations. For example, a factory situated near a residential area will have a lower permissible noise level than a factory situated in a totally industrial area.

EIS (Environmental Impact Statement) An Environmental Impact Study (EIS) is the detailed study of the potential effects of a designated development on the local environment. Environmental impact studies should assess the existing site and conditions and evaluate the anticipated impacts on the flora, fauna, economy, historical and social factors of the new development. All high impact developments require an EIS, for example, agricultural produce industries, electrical generating stations, marinas and other shoreline facilities and wood and saw milling works. An EIS is important to avoid damage to a local area in terms of its ecology, air and water quality and to ensure long-term sustainable, minimal impact development.

EIS is guided by an Act of parliament The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) ( ) Details the guidelines and directions for carrying out an EIS, and one excerpt states: "a determining authority must consider the effect of an activity on: (a) critical habitat, and (b) in the case of threatened species, populations and ecological communities, and their habitats, whether there is likely to be a significant effect on those species, populations or ecological communities, or those habitats, and (c) any other protected fauna or protected native plants within the meaning of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974." In the past, some high profile developments have attracted media attention, for example, the Homebush Bay site for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and the Ranger uranium mine at Jabiluka in the Northern Territory. Concerns are raised as to the impact these types of large developments will have, both in the short and long-term.

EIS may investigate List some of the environmental issues investigated by the EIS. - soils and erosion - hydrology/hydrogeology - water quality - air quality - noise and vibration - waste management and tailings disposal - flora - fauna - visual issues - social infrastructure - Aboriginal community issues - cultural heritage - radiation - Kakadu National Park and World Heritage.