Rapid Health Impact Assessment, Sierra Rutile Limited
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Sierra Rutile Limited Sierra Rutile Project Area 1- Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment Specialist Rapid Health Impact Assessment For SRK Consulting Date Completed: 23rd February 2018 Version: Final Version Prepared by: SHAPE Consulting Limited Dr Mark Divall MB.ChB, DA, DTMH, DOHM, Cert TM, Cert HIA, Cert Env Med Dr Milka Owuor MB.ChB, MSc ETH Address all correspondence Email: +27 71 6720571 to Dr Mark Divall [email protected] This work is commissioned by Sierra Rutile Limited (SRL) and Iluka Resources on terms specifically limiting the liability of the authors. SHAPE Consulting Ltd conducted the work with all reasonable skill, care and diligence within the terms of the contract with SRK Consulting and the client. Our conclusions are the results of the exercise of our professional judgement based in part upon materials and information provided by SRL and others. We disclaim any responsibility and liability to the client and others in respect of any matters outside the scope of the work. This work is confidential to the client and we accept no responsibility of whatsoever nature to third parties to whom the deliverables, or any part thereof, is made known. © SHAPE Consulting Limited, 2017. All rights reserved. This report is prepared solely for the benefit of and use by Sierra Rutile Limited. SHAPE Consulting Limited owns and retains all intellectual property rights in this report. This document is the copyright property of Sierra Rutile Limited and contains information that is confidential. Any request to copy or circulate any part of this document will require prior approval. Sierra Rutile Limited, Sierra Leone Rapid Health Impact Assessment February 2018 Executive Summary Introduction SHAPE Consulting Limited (SHAPE) was appointed by SRK Consulting (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd. (SRK) to conduct a rapid Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for the Sierra Rutile Limited (SRL) Project (Project) in Sierra Leone, as part of the updated Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA). SRL is wholly owned by Iluka Resources Limited (Iluka) and consists of existing mining operations, a mineral sand processing plant and an export facility. The Project has been operational for over 50 years and is located in the Bonthe and Moyamba Districts in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The ESHIA is being undertaken to meet country legal requirements, Iluka’s corporate policies and to align with good international industry practice (GIIP). Health Impact Assessment Objectives In general terms, a HIA seeks to identify and estimate the lasting or significant changes, due to project activities, on the health status of a defined population. This is done by adopting a systematic approach to identifying different health and wellbeing impacts, both positive and negative, and the distribution of these health effects across a potentially affected population. The specific objectives of the HIA for SRL is to review community health impacts and consider the potential future health impacts (direct and indirect) that the Project may have on Potentially Affected Communities (PACs), including: Analysing available evidence from various desktop and field based sources; Review potential health impacts of concern that may be influenced by direct and indirect Project activities; Categorise the significance of identified health impacts to prioritise management thereof; Recommend key management/mitigation measures to enhance potential benefits or to avoid/minimise negative impacts associated with the Project, and Develop a community health management and monitoring plan to guide decision making and surveillance of interventions. The approach used in the HIA was based on an approved methodology endorsed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) that supports Performance Standard 4 (Community SHAPE Consulting Limited Date: 24/02/2018 Confidential Page ii Sierra Rutile Limited, Sierra Leone Rapid Health Impact Assessment February 2018 Health, Safety and Security). This methodology follows a reductionist approach using 12 Environmental Health Areas (EHAs), and is described in more detail in section 4. Health Impact Assessment Activities The HIA activities included a desktop and field component: A review of specialist socio-economic and environmental studies / data; A review of available literature; Grey data that was obtained from the District health authorities and from the SRL site clinic; Information gathered by participatory means from key stakeholders and communities; and Direct observation of environmental health circumstances in communities and the Project area. Key Health Determinants, Impacts and Recommended Management Measures Table 1 presents a dashboard summary of the key findings and recommendations from the HIA. This is presented in the EHA framework and outlines: i) key potential health impacts; ii) both an inherent and residual risk ranking; iii) and key management / mitigation measures; iii) the level of the intervention, i.e. in the community or linked to Environmental, Health, and Safety (HSE) management in the workforce. Inherent impacts associated with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and potential accidents and injuries were recognised as potential critical impacts, with zoonotic and vector related disease ranked as major potential impacts. Moderate negative impacts after proposed management measures were still considered for STIs and potential accidents and injuries, with the remaining EHAs either presenting a minor negative or nett benefit residual impact. Environmental and health determinants (EHA #9 and #10) were ranked qualitatively where adequate information was available, but the reader is referred to individual specialist studies for a more complete model. The recommended management measures are presented as a high level summary, with more detail in section 7. It is important that a monitoring and evaluation system be established to track relevant impacts and interventions, which may require additional baseline data collection. SHAPE Consulting Limited Date: 24/02/2018 Confidential Page iii Sierra Rutile Limited, Sierra Leone Rapid Health Impact Assessment February 2018 Table 1: Summary of inherent and residual health impacts Inherent Risk Residual Impact Assessment± Management and Mitigation Rating* Rating* Without Potential Health Impact Mitigation/ Management Measure Level Residual Mitigation Community HSE EHA #1- Communicable Disease Linked to the Living Environment Develop a communicable disease strategy and plan that includes √ √ Transmission of communicable diseases employees, contractors and visitors. from workforce to the community; including Effective facilities management in all accommodation camps and conditions spread by droplets (tuberculosis mess areas that includes appropriate accommodation, general and √ (TB), influenza), close contact (meningitis) food hygiene and sanitation. and poor hygiene (scabies, conjunctivitis). Moderate Minor negative Outbreak preparedness and response plan. √ √ negative Influx management plan. √ √ Influx and pressure on accommodation and Initiatives to prevent localised influx and overcrowding in communities √ general environmental hygiene due to direct influences from the workforce. Gather baseline data and monitor inflation trends on housing. √ EHA #2- Vector Related Diseases Evaluate the possibility to work with the National Malaria Control Programme to conduct a malaria indicator and baseline entomology √ √ study. Increased burden of disease associated Develop integrated workplace malaria and vector control √ with malaria due to: i) modification of the programmes. environment; ii) influx and unchecked Major Develop breeding site control programmes including environmental Moderate √ development in communities and iii) negative management and larval source management. benefit pressure on already limited public health Evaluate the possibility to extend workplace malaria control services for malaria control. interventions into the surrounding communities in partnership with the √ District Health Management Team (DHMT) and National Malaria Control Programme. √ Influx management plan. √ Integrated vector control as above for malaria, but with focus on Risk of outbreak of arboviral diseases Aedes spp. mosquito. This will need to include controls in lay-down √ Moderate Minor through transport corridors, environmental yards and at the Port. negative negative management and Project induced influx. Outbreak preparedness and response plans. √ √ SHAPE Consulting Limited Date: 24/02/2018 Confidential Page iv Sierra Rutile Limited, Sierra Leone Rapid Health Impact Assessment February 2018 Inherent Risk Residual Impact Assessment± Management and Mitigation Rating* Rating* Without Potential Health Impact Mitigation/ Management Measure Level Residual Mitigation Community HSE EHA #3- Water, Sanitation and Waste Related Disease Effective planning and implementation of future physical relocation Physical resettlement and economic √ and economic displacement. displacement with potential altered access Maintain access to basic services, and as required support the to basic services including water and provision of alternative sources/supply in partnership with relevant √ sanitation. authorities and communities. Potential pollution of surface and ground Provision of adequate sanitation facilities and effective waste water water from Project activities including spills management from the Mineral Separation Plant (MSP), mine √ and waste management (including