Environmental Assessment/Analysis Reports ___ Report E0043 Mexico - Northern Border Environment Proj ect EA Category A Environmental Assessment Executive Summary January 1994 This report has been prepared by the Borrower or its Consultant cMCO NORTHIERN BORDER ENVRONMENT PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY MEXIo ENVIRONMETAL ASSESSMENT EXECUTIME SMRY' Table of Contents Introduction ................................................. Legal and Administrative Framework . Existing Municipal Solid Waste Siti tion..4 Sectoral Environmental Impacts.6 Analysis of tarnatives . Mitigation of Existing Impacts through Project Implementation ..........7 'Mitigation of Residual Environmental Impacts. 9 Monitoring and Evaluation ..................1....0... ........... i0 Institutional Needs ............... 10 Public Participation .............. 11 Bibliography ........................................i...... 11 I This document summarizes the environmental assessment and social studies done for the Norlhern Border Environment Project and for the Second Solid Waste Management Project. From the outset. it was decided to do this work for the two projects together. (see para- 2 on page 1) and that plan was Ioblowed throughout. In the final write-up of the Executive Summary, reference to the Northern Border Environment Proiect was inadvertenwly om:ried from the itle pages. The arwhed document is identical to thc version finalized in January 1994. except tiat s inadvenent omission has been corrected. MEICO NORTHERN BORDER ENVONMENT PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMfARY Instroduxcdon 1. The Mexico Second Solid Waste Manapment Project will support th investment needs of pariipating cities through the implemtation of comprehensive and integrated solid waste management plans. In addition, it wiU include institutional strengthening components for fedea, state and local agencies in the sector, and a socal component (resettment and wokskl conversion) for scavengers and infornal solid waste worker. The government has identled solid waste collection, treatment, and disposal as top priority for environmental protection in medium cities in the context of its 100-cities program. World Bank investnent in the sector in Mexico was initiated in 1986 with the Solid Waste Management Pilot Project which included 12 cities. When completed, the Second Solid Waste Management Project will have provided technical assistance and financing to more than 30 additional medium size cities in Mexico. Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans for seven cities have already been prepared: El Carmen, Torreon, Monclova, Matamoros, Queretaro, Reynosa, and Tijuana. Plans for additional 8 cities (San Luis-Rio Colorado, Juarez, Ensenada, Tapachula, Cdaya, Coaeacoalcos, LoA Moches, and Piedras Negras) are near completion and plans in another 25 cities have been initiated. 2. This executive summary is based on the findings of the following technical, environmental, and social studies undertaken by the Government as part of project preparation: Environmental Assessment of the Solid Waste Sector in Mexico, Social Program of the Second Solid Waste Sector Project, Alternative Options for Scavengers in Mexico, and project specific environmental assessments as part of the integrated solid waste management plans for seven cities. Three of these cities are included in the proDosed Mexico Northern Border Fnvironment Proiect and therefore this summary also fulfils Bank requirements for the solid waste component of that Proiect. These reports are available in documentation center of the Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL) in Mexico City. Formal Bank review of the final reports was carried out before appraisal by the Bank. These reports conform fully to Bank policy guidelines regarding environmental and social issues. All above reports have been cleared by the Govemment and have been made available in the Public Information Center of the World Bank in Washington. Legal and Administrative Framework 3. Article 115 of the Mexican Constitution (amended in 1983) gives municipalities the responsibility to create, transform, and deliver services for municipal solid waste collection and disposal. Regulation of toxic and hazardous wastes remains a federal responsibility. The principal environmental law in Mexico is the 1988 "Ley Generl de Equilibrio Ecol6gico y Protecci6n al Ambiente" (General Law for Ecological Equilibrium and Environmental 2 w Protection). Although over 100 stndards and ecological criteia have been promulgated by Decmber 1993, comprhensive standards for the solid waste sector do not exist, as the curt standards are lmited to toxic and hazardous wastes and incineation effluent air quality. At the federal leve, ther ar three principal environmental regulatons of the law: enviroma assessment, hazardous wastes and air pollution control. Environmental assessment requi t ar applied to hardous and toxic wastes but not to municipal wasts. AU states cept Campebe, have developed Ecological Equlibrm and Environmental Protection laws based on th federal environmental protection law; none of these laws, with the exception of the tate of Mexico's, have made secial povisions for solid wastes and environmental ass- -.t bqeond those of the federal law. 4. Other kgilaon which may be considered as relvant to the solid waste sect, :cd.e the Fedral Health Law, which regulates on-premise handling of toxic wastes ger aced by hospitals and cinics; fte National Water Law, and its regation for the Pevention a . Coot of Water Polluto; and the Federl Public Wors Law which reqires an assessment of natrA rmsources which may be impacted by a public investmt. References to the municipal s** waste sector are scarce in the above regulations; for instance, leachates are not included dae in the water polution control regulaions or in feder water quality monitoring plans. The Health Secretariat does not give high priority to air pollution, leachates and odors from solid wastes. Technical specificaions for municipal solid wastes are also lacking; most thnical norms for the solid waste sector published by the Secretariat of Commerce and Indusirial Development (under the Nonns and Standards Law) refer only to sampling and laborat. procedures for solid wastes analysis. Table I summarizes the existing regulatory framework for solid wasts in Mexico. LEVEL LAWS REGULATIONS FEDERAL * General law for Ecologitzi Equilibrium and * Environmental Asesmet Environmnunl Protectior * Hurdour Wass 1* Pvention and Coatrol of Air Pollution * Nationul Watr Law Pmeen'tioo and Control of Water Pollution * Fedenl Hcalth Law * !sndluk of Solid/Toxic Wastes within * Federl Public Works Law * i.w-4=mem of Naunal Resource tmpacs * Noms and Standards Law Stid d SLWnlpnhAnalysis P4oc-.du.a STAT E Sa* Laws for EcologiciL Equilibrium and * Environmeanzm Asaessrane i Evironmceaul Protection (orwl in Mexico stage) (All states exc:pt Campeche) MUNICIPAL * Policc and local goevrnmcnt rcgulaitons * Collection * Municipal Land UseuUrban Expansion Plans Table I Regulatory Framework for Solid Waste and Environment in Mexico 5. At the federal level, SEDESOL has the responsibility for sector planning and poli::y formulation. Development of federal regulaton and its enforcement rests with SEDESOL's autonomous agencies: the National Ecological Institute (INE) and the Offce of the Attorney 3 Genal for Environmental Protection (PFPA), respedvely. However, th areas of pi y arcs now limited to the management of hazardous and tmic wastes. Water quality monhitg, mainly for human consumption and agricultural uses, is managed by the National Water Commiisson (CNA). Envionmental control of municipal solid waste services is r b of the stares and municipalities. Howeva, implementation of envintl SSt procedures is uneven among states and almost non-eistent at the municipal levd. Table 2 summesacisting institutional framework for solid waste management and enviromin Medco. FUcnCONS I TONS SOLDWASE EVIRONWTAL ASSESSMEN F SEDESOL E * DIE Reguisoamdousvmm) RaguIa} _ wdUS D INMa) E * MA Monitringleafaceieat Monitoringfelorcat R SARH (Apicmhm and A War resowc Secretriat) L * CNA Wauer Quality Rrgulaions. ?Aoring (PoabilcAgriculwrt; not solid wac lchaze) S So" Govanment T Ecolo Sccrctriu Regulnions. moitoring. Rcgulaions. monitmring. A enforcement. imptlaenttion. enaorcment,impltlcUtatio". T E L Municipality 0 * Publc We*sl Regulion. mukorng. C Dirctat enforemcat. impllmcntatiou. NONE A * Solid Wac L D.em Table 2 Instiional Frameworrk for Solid Waste and Environment Existing Municipal Solid Waste Situaion 6. Collection, transfer and final disposal of solid waste are inadequate in most cities in Mexico. Of the estimated 60.000 ton/day produced in the nation, only about 60% gets collected and 2% (1200 ton/day) is disposed in functional landfills (see Figure 1). Collection is impeded by poor management, equipment and interference by truck scavenging. Uncollected waste is burned in open areas, left in the streets or discarded in open land and waterways. Traditionally final disposal of collected municipal wastes has been through open dumps located in barren areas, ravines or waterways both within and outside cities. Of the 97 existing controlled final disposal sites, only 11 can be considered as technically functional landfills. National epeziences with incineration and composting have been rare and have produced discouraging results. Clinical wastes are also improperly collected, treated or disposed. Data collected in 1993 in the context of project preparation in selected Mexican cities are summarized in Table 3. Per-CaPita solid waste generation (estimated today in 0.7 kgtperson/day) is rapidly increasing. Accordingly, the solid waste sector will exert an even greater environmental pressure in the future. 4 Uncollected 40sb 24,W0 Tonday P6odu00on _p____ _Dump_, eMow 25.200 Tarday Tan/day Collected To-/d Lanry jOX I Controlled , .20 TaNday .~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~opu --Iqr Ton/iday EE Landfills Wit of tot duetan [ Opeatng Probims i X of pii.c#on * - ~ - -~ Pt 9,600 Ton/day El1 Figure 1: Solid Waste Situation In Mexico 3om seSdmol a"~ We" oti ai sla. wm Wa ________ Trns. Tornao MoacIov Haamni R.oo. .J mCEl . ;,opulion 1 .023.000 600.000 190.000 3US.000 400.000 600,000 190.00 Solid Wa. 1.400 500 ISO 345 360 374 132 . roducio a To/day aNlleeion Coclcctiou cve?agc 95% 9SS 70% foo6 Frqu.Jy Uly: d aily: day: dilj-: dJily dafy: daily: downZowm Noah awf downtown N OeWOWO dovntown downta. ll)week 31week.- I/wee I3 days: m/3 day: IJ3 daym tesideial Souh rezidemi atdsidem rcsuiidenaj Transfer S'rion Yen No N No Yes I No Fmnal Disposal T ype I cosrolled I landfill Open dump Opts, dump Open dump Open dump Open dump landfil Mmcnullcd Ana.r b 45 is 20 30 4 2 2 Table 3 Solid Waste Managemeut in Selected Cities 5 7.- An estmated 2S,0000 prbage scavengers or Opepenadores" and their families wodk*d in some caLs, reside, in opew dumps thoughout Mexc, with 15,000 esimated in Me q alone A large p=eente of an are women and children. Working condtions aeop. The number of yp nadomsm vary from city to city. Scavenger situadon in selected cdds Is presend in Table 4. Scavenging for recyclable maerials, perhaps the only effective nc)!ft efort in all of Mexico, adversely impacts landfll operations and sold waste collctdon doI its inherent benecial natme. . ~ -- -:;u Son Luin _ua Noue MacIl Rlo Coordo R_yam Wa,amom Theam Usca.ge -- l0 ISO so 30 370 S Woae 50% 30% 30% 25% 60% 49% 45 IChde 10% 20% MS- 10% 10% 10% Main Mvdh prodaos ASamlawm Minwa Alumnu Ahmhumi Whm aim n4u Cadowd k0a Cawp C__e km Aloin Csui oWr Coppr Cadbd C _dbowd AlUinviu Cowppe Ch.u 1o Boom Comn ity Aacisno Ye. No No No No No No Icr tofire living in None None Noeo None None None nos - oI I I I I I _ Table 4 Scavenger Siuation in Selected Cities Setorl Env Unment ImMi 8. Envmironmental impacts from uncollected and inadequate dispsal of solid wastes hve xot rocuved adequate attention in Meico and accordingly, eisting data is bodi scarce and limited. However, nnmental impacts due to t existing deficits in solid waste services are unquesdonably being exerted on urban centers and natural ecosystems. The main negative impacts of the present situation are: Urban Aesthetics 9. Garbage left or scattered in the streets leads to proliferation of vectors (mainly insects and iats). Trafic congestion is exacerbated by garbage trucks. These two are all too commo:a public nuisances in most urban centers in Mexico, contributing to urban environmental qualit degrdation. Surface and Groundwater Pollution 10. Surface and groundwater pollution cases from open dump seepage or leachates have been documented in some areas of Mexico. Surface water pollution from open dumps is vAdt ri cities like Tuxpan, Tampico, Coatzacoalcos, and Villa Hermosa, where garbage left in urban drainage channels easily finds its way to local rivers and strears. The Escondida Lake in Reynosa has been used as a site for trash disposal by scavengers living in the area. The Acapulco Bay and El Carmen beach areas are good examples of ocean water pollution caused 6 by solid wastes Some studies have idendfied aquifer contmination from solid waste leachate in the area of Celaya (Guanajuato) and Santa CainaL The aquifer in Santa Catarina is the source of potable wae for an important area in the Mexco Valley. Air Pollution 11. Unpleasant odors and irritating dusts from uncontrolled fires and wind dispron in opm dumps are important air pollution sources in some cities. Visibility problems for land and air traffic have bee reported in some areas such as Tomeon. Healnt and Social Impacts 12. Litle is known about the linkages bt'wen the existing solid waste siation in Mez and health efcts Hower, the lack of aprpriate continer, the inceang contact of 1b population with parbage, and the indiscriminate handling of hospWital wastes together widi municipal wastes, pose a re health tbr!at potential for the populin as a whole. U& population graps at hig!heit risk are the 'piep;uoresK az. 4 the solid waste workers in each city. which perform their work without minimua. hygienic, sanitary, or safeqt conditions. S1kn lacerations and respiratory illnesses have been ported as common diseases among these groups by preparatory work undertken in this project. As informal workers pepenadores do not enjoy protection from Mexican labor laws. Children form a high pcntage of the Tpepenadores'. suffering the most the efect of unhealthy conditions and lack of schooling opporunities. Sensitive Ecosystems 13. Uncontrolled was(e disposal of solid wastes has been identified as a major distbance factor for sensitve wend ecosystms, specially mangroves. Cities like El Carmen have sat their mangmve areas decreased and degraded by open dumps. AdildV f mt iveZ 14. Analysis of alternatives has been and will be an impcmiant process in the projeSt Containerizing and mechanic collection systems fulfill requirements of low cost and case of operation. A technical analysis of treatment methods, after elimination of incineration *nd composting, selected disposal in sanitary landfills as the most suitable altemative for mediam to small cities in Mexico. However, municiealities can propose other altematives for flnancikg if they conform to sound technical, econoie -nd environmnetal criteria. For cities with higvi potential for groundwater pollution do to gtgh grwundwatez alles, a Ligh density landfill is proposed. This type of landfill - consisting of compacted bales of trash piled up in a-ppropr forms- presents additional advantages such as smaller area reauiremnents, and less leaclh3. generation and cover material. Landfill sites with and without 'pepena" (orderly recycling by "pepenadores" through conveyor belts) will be routinely analyze I in each city. Mitigaton of Existing Imp:- through Project Implementation 15. The project has been designed to upgrade the deteriorated environmental conditio"s caused by non-existent or deficient collection and disposal systems for municipal wastes - specially in relation to water pollution, public nuisances, urban and rural aesthetics, and health - and to set up efficient sectoTal environmental management for the future. The project will 7 mprve solid waste sermices for an emated 15 million people i the cties which paticipate ia th propwm. Impoved managemeat of hospital wastes will zeduce public health conseqms from unconbolled disposal of nectious and pathological wase. The efiect of the project on the aisting envirnmental is summarzed in Table . INIGRAD SOLUllON ACTIVrrY PUEST SrTUAIION IVEOFOL STORAGE _A==a dmbuui_ Ckmdm0_ cowd dg*SU& COLLECTION uVdmmed hM.h -m.ybg md dshag of LA1 or& auem D__ TRANQORTATON _gqhr Lmdlq dr csim Unloadin Lb= commAi Pep in situ Site MW_uj PINAL DISPOSAL UKoUzbn dm _ UmoadinAm - U=ommud C hI 71*m Udsmouy of _______ Sa~~~~~~~~mimiy baed Iaf Tad hidig dwuhg REUrORATION Nqkcwed LANduap.MfiUKi0M ________ ~~~~~Subnq~muw Table S Mitigujom o'euazting envirouncuten1 pactshrough prcject iplementafion 16. The main technical fcature that will be par of the design, construction, and operation of proposed solid waste management systems include: (a) Introuction of new co;anriztinsystems for storage of garbage, and equipment maintenance and routine cleaning activities for containers. (b) Solid waste collection in appropriate vehicles with compacting chambers, rear loading, and container lifts. (c) Setting up of low cost routing with suitable schedules for garbage collection; maneac and clean-up schedules for collection equipment; and traflic and frequency control for final trips to landfills. (d) Implementation of state-of-the-art sanitary landfill design, construction, and operation: enclosure of premises; runoff and drainage systems; availability of water for dust control; unloading control areas; clay or impermeable lining of - ~~~~~landfiLl base; gas control systems; leachate control and recycling (if necessary); waste compacting (up to 0.7 ton/in3 for middle density landfills, and up to 1.2 8 tolm' for high desiwty landfills); isolation of the ae with appropriate vegetatin* baTrer geomorphological rstrion of landfill ara according to projected ue. Deign periods for landfills will be 10 years, but total area will be required to handle up to 20 yean of solid waste generation. (e) Reordering pepenadores' activities in landfill by establishing suitable areas for reycling through conveyor belts. (f) Sealing off ceisting open dumps and clean-up of surrour.ling as; complementary measuies for future use of these areas wull be identfied. tg) Independent colecdon of hospitl wastes using airtight containers an. disposal ih specially designed cells in landfills. Project Location and Operation 17. Envirnmcantl impacts due to project siting, construction, and operation will be kept to a minimum through adequate environmental sreening mechanisms during city-specific solit waste manag.lent feasibility studies. For example, for the initially appraised cities. disturbanc. of naturAl ecesystems was found to be negligible or minimal; theme will be no need to reloa c local population from proposed landfill sites. In al sub-projects, strict enironmeital pollutio: control measures as indicated in para. 16 will be implemented and wells will be installed f.:r groundwater Wuality monitoring social Imnpacts 18. Perhaps the most sensitive impact of the project is associated to the closure cf the xistiLg open dumps and the implementation of efficient collection systems. The modernization of solid waste collection and dispos31 systems will restrict, if not eliminate, many of the opporunities for scavenging. In addition, the closure of existing dumps may dispLe families who camiot afford the most economical types of formal sector housing. Although the number of fmiim s actually living on the premises of existing dumps is very low, the closure of these dumps, together with the location of the new landfills farther away from the cities, may altagcth*r impact the means of livelihood of these groups. The magnitude and importance of these impw+s will vary from citY to city according to the existing scavenger situation and the distance fsnm the city of the proposed landti site. 19. With the objectives c mnaintaining the positive aspects of scavenging as a transitionzi phase to a ni ore industrialiceJ recycling and ensuring fair compensation for involunta, resettlement and possible loss of means of livelihood, the project has introduced the followirip mitigative and compensatory measures: (a) A Policy Statement from the Government of Mexico to address the scavenger issues. (b) Each participating city will be required to present a Social Plan for addressing its particular scavenger problem as a condition of credit eligibility. A draft manual 9 fior the prepartion of these plans as well as prelimiary phlns for two cdtes 'ben prpared. The fnal version of the manual will be agreod at negotadons ift *~~~~ ~ ~ rE . 9. '(c) ^4A ciix oot which wiR finance: ) infrastructr for amore I_ rAcyng; (i) resetement from open dumps or inadequat mainined UM which wil be closed or rehabilitated; and (M) a training and wwll COnVCt5O program t ope up odh anploymet opportunities, includi, ff worldng within the implemented collecdon and teament systems. S~ ~. . .. ... .,*,,., --. -.1',^,: 20. Monitoring of envcondims will be a requiemet of projeat impl_emeat Wels for grundwater quality monitori wMll be s ard component of all landfills. Jaiatad annual cificatons fom the PFPA will be required for all municipaies in order ao ure compliance with sound technical specificatiou-sind wordng cndidons of impe leachate and gas control, and drainag wsstems, and any oe erironmental pollutioo measures. Final designs of all solid waste collecton and dipoa systms wi be required to deliver an Envirnmental Supervision Plan which will include the supevi on of poJect eecution and constuction works (assring the impleentation of all mitigative measu) and monitoring plans for groundwater pollution, and leachates and gas generation. I;0ttinl Neefi 21. Although rcent ent gi ation has estabshed organizational stuctu at te su:t and municipal levels for 2ssessment and monitoring of environmental impacts of uban C, infrastruct ivesmnts, s isufflient and inaquly red pernd, compounded elt if any expi in this ara, have hampered thir effcive fnctioning. Aloot al municipalities operate solid waste systems through municipl divisions. The project wil aeane an eve greater demand for technically qified staff in the sector. Taining in soi was management, opeation of landfills, monitoring procedures, and enrnmental assessment will be a carried out trough a national ftaining program to be financed by the project Environmental assessment of all proposed sub-projects will be a principal eligibility criteria for municipalities. 22. Establishing independent cost centers for municipal solid waste services and imprvig municipal management and regulations wiU be supported under the proposed project. Staundards and regulations for solid waste collection, and construction and operation of landfills bhar been and will be incoxporated in the Integrated Solid Waste Management Plans of all ciies which include: regulatons on the nature and type of acceptable urban solid waste to be hand by the systems and waste identification methods; establishment of collection schedules for the urban area and ttaffic regulations for waste transportation; continer cleaning frequencies; compacting requirements for solid wastes and covenng materials, and hickness of cover layers; leachate and gas control systems s tions; required sanitary conditions at landfill sitcs; futue use of restoted landfills; and environmental monitoring plans. 23. The Sectoral Environmental Assessment identifies major institutional and regultoy deficiencies for the sector and proposes an Action Plan to improve environmental management in the sector. The plan includes: p,eparation of federal standards for municipal solid wast 10 including , among other aspects, the location, design, construction, and operation of landijis, and water quality, lachate and gas monitoring in landfill aras; a proposal for the resulctunng of solid waste management at the state and municipal levels; an evinmental assessent procedure for muncipal solid waste projects to be implemented at the stte level, and general uaon by. sdel and se government to help municipalies improve their solid wae gt cabilities. A detailed plan of aciion for;the implementation of these proposals would be aged upon during project appraisal. 24. In addition to supporting the improvement of organized recycling activities by scavges, the project will iitiate the development of national recycling policies thrugh two studies which will eaMine prices, mt:lcets, and incentives for recyclable products, and downstm ., em mer. impact of recycling and the need for improvemert in the technology used by the recycling induty. Discussion of the findings of these studies and an action plan would be discussed duing the project's mid-tem review. Public afli3on 25. Public participation mechanisms will be identified for all social plans and for the integrated solid wast managemcnt plans. The Sectoral Environmental Assessment and thr Integated Solid Waste Management Plans for seven initial cities have been made available tu the public in SEDESOL's documentation center. The Social Plans for two cities and the drafP manual for te e design of social plans will also be made public. Public information campaign:. will be cznied out during project design in each participating city. Bibfili- 1. SEDESOL, Evaluaci6 Ambiental del Secto dr Desechos S61idos en Mexico, ABC Estudios y Proyecios S.A. de C.V., December, 1993. 2. SEDESOL, Plan Maestro de Desechos Solidos, URBEPLAN, January, 1994. .ueretaro Mt,nclova Toneon . El Carmen Juarez . Matamoros . Tijuana 3. SEDESOL, Programa Social del Segundo Proyecto de, Desechos S61idms, Maria Elena Castro, January, 1994. 4. SEDESOL, Manual y Guia de Reasentamiento y Programas Sociales, Maria Elena Castro, January, 1994. 5. SEDESOL, Evaluaci6n Preliminar de la Problemgtica de los Pepenadores en Siete Ciudades Fronterizas, ABC Estudios y Proyectos S.A. de C.V., November, 1993 11