IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i7p3964-d780427.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Environmental Impact Assessment of Sanitation Projects in Chile: Overview and Improvement Opportunities Focused on Follow-Ups

Author

Listed:
  • Dante Rodríguez-Luna

    (Department of Civil Engineering, Catholic University of Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain
    Facultad de Ingeniería, Instituto de Ciencias Químicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910060, Chile)

  • Francisco Javier Alcalá

    (Facultad de Ingeniería, Instituto de Ciencias Químicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago 8910060, Chile
    Departamento de Desertificación y Geo-Ecología, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), 04120 Almeria, Spain)

  • Francisco Encina-Montoya

    (Nucleus of Environmental Studies, Catholic University of Temuco, Temuco 4781312, Chile)

  • Nuria Vela

    (Applied Technology Group to Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Science, Catholic University of Murcia, 30107 Murcia, Spain)

Abstract

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a legal and administrative tool aimed to identify, predict, and interpret the impact of a project or activity on the environment and human health. The EIA also evaluates the accuracy of the predictions and audits the effectiveness of the established preventive measures. Regarding the sanitation sector, efficiency of wastewater treatments and sanitation networks determine the pollutant level of the discharged liquid effluents and the subsequent impact on the environment and human health. This problematic makes necessary to assess how proper the regulatory follow-ups of sanitation projects is. This paper evaluates the performance of the Chilean EIA System concerning to sanitation projects. Taking into account that the more restrictive Environmental Impact Study (EIS) and more permissive Environmental Impact Declaration (EID) are the ways for projects’ entry to the EIA System in Chile, 5336 sanitation projects submitted to EIA between 1994 and 2019 were complied. A representative sample of 76 projects (15 entered as EIS and 61 as EID) was analyzed by using a principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) through 14 selected performance indicators. Observed weaknesses have led to propose improvement opportunities of the EIA focused on the follow-ups after the environmental license is obtained, such as creation of a simplified sanctioning procedure, decentralization of decision-making, deadline establishment in each stage, and unified direct link for each project. These proposals seek to improve the effectiveness of monitoring and possible sanctions to early identify impacts of sanitation projects on the environment and human health. This paper introduces a robust methodology for evaluation criteria focused on the follow-ups analysis, which can be used in other countries that consider respectful sanitation projects have direct social and environmental benefits leading to long-term indirect cultural and economic values.

Suggested Citation

  • Dante Rodríguez-Luna & Francisco Javier Alcalá & Francisco Encina-Montoya & Nuria Vela, 2022. "The Environmental Impact Assessment of Sanitation Projects in Chile: Overview and Improvement Opportunities Focused on Follow-Ups," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-17, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:3964-:d:780427
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/3964/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/7/3964/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ben Dipper, 1998. "Monitoring and Post-auditing in Environmental Impact Assessment: A Review," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(6), pages 731-747.
    2. Gabriel Gulis, 2019. "Compliance, adherence, or implementation?," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(3), pages 411-412, April.
    3. Ben Cave & Ryngan Pyper & Birgitte Fischer-Bonde & Sarah Humboldt-Dachroeden & Piedad Martin-Olmedo, 2021. "Lessons from an International Initiative to Set and Share Good Practice on Human Health in Environmental Impact Assessment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-23, February.
    4. Dante Rodríguez-Luna & Nuria Vela & Francisco Javier Alcalá & Francisco Encina-Montoya, 2021. "The Environmental Impact Assessment in Aquaculture Projects in Chile: A Retrospective and Prospective Review Considering Cultural Aspects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-19, August.
    5. Peter M. Fayers & David J. Hand, 2002. "Causal variables, indicator variables and measurement scales: an example from quality of life," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 165(2), pages 233-253, June.
    6. Sarah Humboldt-Dachroeden & Birgitte Fischer-Bonde & Gabriel Gulis, 2019. "Analysis of Health in Environmental Assessments—A Literature Review and Survey with a Focus on Denmark," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-23, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Dante Rodríguez-Luna & Francisco Encina-Montoya & Francisco Javier Alcalá & Nuria Vela, 2022. "An Overview of the Environmental Impact Assessment of Mining Projects in Chile," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-16, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dante Rodríguez-Luna & Francisco Encina-Montoya & Francisco Javier Alcalá & Nuria Vela, 2022. "An Overview of the Environmental Impact Assessment of Mining Projects in Chile," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-16, December.
    2. Marco Marozzi & Mario Bolzan, 2018. "An Index of Household Accessibility to Basic Services: A Study of Italian Regions," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 136(3), pages 1237-1250, April.
    3. Ben Cave & Ryngan Pyper & Birgitte Fischer-Bonde & Sarah Humboldt-Dachroeden & Piedad Martin-Olmedo, 2021. "Lessons from an International Initiative to Set and Share Good Practice on Human Health in Environmental Impact Assessment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-23, February.
    4. Elisa Barbieri & Manli Huang & Shenglei Pi & Mattia Tassinari, 2017. "Restructuring the Production of Medicines: An Investigation on the Pharmaceutical Sector in China and the Role of Mergers and Acquisitions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Marco Marozzi, 2012. "Tertiary student satisfaction with socialization: A statistical assessment," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 46(4), pages 1271-1278, June.
    6. Jacqueline Beuningen & Hans Schmeets, 2013. "Developing a Social Capital Index for the Netherlands," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 113(3), pages 859-886, September.
    7. Fereshteh Ghahramani & Jingguo Wang, 2020. "Impact of Smartphones on Quality of Life: A Health Information Behavior Perspective," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 22(6), pages 1275-1290, December.
    8. Omaima Hassan & Claire Marston, 2010. "Disclosure measurement in the empirical accounting literature - a review article," Accountancy Discussion Papers 1004, Accountancy Research Group, Heriot Watt University.
    9. Lucía Gómez-Balcácer & Noelia Somarriba Arechavala & Patricia Gómez-Costilla, 2023. "The Importance of Different Forms of Social Capital for Happiness in Europe: A Multilevel Structural Equation Model (GSEM)," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 18(1), pages 601-624, February.
    10. Alex Michalos & Heather Creech & Natalie Swayze & P. Maurine Kahlke & Carolee Buckler & Karen Rempel, 2012. "Measuring Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours Concerning Sustainable Development among Tenth Grade Students in Manitoba," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 106(2), pages 213-238, April.
    11. Alex Michalos & Heather Creech & Christina McDonald & P. Kahlke, 2011. "Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours. Concerning Education for Sustainable Development: Two Exploratory Studies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 100(3), pages 391-413, February.
    12. Paul Allin & David J. Hand, 2017. "New statistics for old?—measuring the wellbeing of the UK," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 180(1), pages 3-43, January.
    13. Uwe Konerding & Tom Bowen & Sylvia G Elkhuizen & Raquel Faubel & Paul Forte & Eleftheria Karampli & Tomi Malmström & Elpida Pavi & Paulus Torkki, 2019. "Development of a universal short patient satisfaction questionnaire on the basis of SERVQUAL: Psychometric analyses with data of diabetes and stroke patients from six different European countries," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(10), pages 1-24, October.
    14. Agnes Y. K. Lai & George O. C. Cheung & Asa C. M. Choi & Man-Ping Wang & Polly S. L. Chan & Angie H. Y. Lam & Esther W. S. Lo & Chia-Chin Lin & Tai-Hing Lam, 2022. "Mental Health, Support System, and Perceived Usefulness of Support in University Students in Hong Kong Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Method Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-18, October.
    15. Tsung-Tai Chen & Mei-Shu Lai & I-Chin Lin & Kuo-Piao Chung, 2012. "Exploring and Comparing the Characteristics of Nonlatent and Latent Composite Scores," Medical Decision Making, , vol. 32(1), pages 132-144, January.
    16. Matteo Mazziotta & Adriano Pareto, 2019. "Use and Misuse of PCA for Measuring Well-Being," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 451-476, April.
    17. Marco Marozzi, 2009. "A composite indicator dimension reduction procedure with application to university student satisfaction," Statistica Neerlandica, Netherlands Society for Statistics and Operations Research, vol. 63(3), pages 258-268, August.
    18. Tine Bizjak & Branko Kontić, 2019. "Auditing in addition to compliance monitoring: a way to improve public health," International Journal of Public Health, Springer;Swiss School of Public Health (SSPH+), vol. 64(9), pages 1259-1260, December.
    19. Chaudhuri, Kausik & Kumbhakar, Subal C. & Sundaram, Lavanya, 2016. "Estimation of firm performance from a MIMIC model," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 255(1), pages 298-307.
    20. Isabella Sulis & Mariano Porcu & Vincenza Capursi, 2019. "On the Use of Student Evaluation of Teaching: A Longitudinal Analysis Combining Measurement Issues and Implications of the Exercise," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(3), pages 1305-1331, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:7:p:3964-:d:780427. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.