Applications of Environmental Impact Assessment for the New Development of Amerya Industrial Complex

Shawky, Mohamed S.; El-Dakhakhni, A A.; Akel, M.; Noweir, Hamed K.; Hassan, Hossam El-Din A.; Mohamed, Gamal El-Din M.

doi:10.21608/jhiph.1999.321966

Applications of Environmental Impact Assessment for the New Development of Amerya Industrial Complex

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Environmental Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt

² Occupational Health Department, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Egypt

10.21608/jhiph.1999.321966

Abstract

In the past, the public attitude was to support the industrial development even at the expense of the environmental quality. The expectation was that gains in material wellbeing should exceed losses in the environmental quality. However, recently, it has become increasingly evident that environmental degradation, associated with vast industrial and socio-economic evolution, if allowed to proceed without appropriate control, could result in devastate the living conditions and the natural resources in Egypt. Alexandria is the largest sea port in Egypt, a prime industrial center and a major summer resort for Egypt on the Mediterranean. The city is located in the North-West corner of the Nile Delta and at the eastern edge of the western desert. Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt with a population of 4.7 million, its port handles 80 percent of Egypt's trade shipping. While manufacturing industries in Alexandria Metropolitan Area [AMA] constitute 40 percent of Egypt industrial activities. Amerya is one of the newest industrial complexes of Alexandria city. The complex is located in the south-west of Alexandria governorate, and it represents about tenth of the city area. Future development plans or extensions of the existing industries as well as additions of new industrial activities, will take place as a natural progress of Amerya. That the anticipated industrial development will be done without proper undertaking of environmental studies to mitigate the negative consequence of these diverse industrial activities. It is obvious, therefore, that the environmental impact assessment becomes of a high priority to ensure environmentally sound industrial development in Amerya industrial complex [AIC] for extensions of the existing industries as well as for allocation of the expected new industries. In this study, all environmental factors that need to be considered are included in the analysis. It was found that moving out any new industry toward Burg El-Arab city with exception for the extension of the already existing industries is giving good progress for this physico-chemical, biological and the social environment of the AIC.

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