Environmental and Natural Resource Management

Under the environmental and natural resource management consulting subsector, we offer a comprehensive suite of services, including but not limited to;

Environmental management,
Occupational health and safety,
Fire safety engineering,
Air quality and dust monitoring,
Solid waste management.

Environmental Management

Every day engineering, construction, and development projects pose a level of risk/damage/harm to the environment. As an international industry best practice, project implementers are required to undertake a suite of environmental and social assessments, prior, during, and after the implementation of such projects. This helps in assessment of environmental and social risks, impacts, and opportunities, thus informing on strategies and best alternatives to mitigate or avoid potential environmental and social risks. These studies are aimed at the overall goal of screening, preparation, implementation, and monitoring of projects.

The whole process of undertaking the different environmental process studies requires up-to-date knowledge of numerous environmental and social standards, while the process of obtaining the various environmental permits and documentation can be arduous. Our team is well versed in coordinating line agencies and local agencies for environmental permits. We streamline the process by anticipating the permits that a project will need, preparing the applications, and negotiating permit stipulations or mitigations with the jurisdictional agencies. This approach noticeably reduces unexpected delays to help meet the project’s schedule.

Environmental studies and permits are needed for a wide range of projects in the engineering sector ranging from fuel stations and fuel depots, quarries and mines, road construction projects, landfill projects, manufacturing plants, among others. Without undertaking the requisite environmental studies and obtaining all applicable permits, such businesses risk hefty fines and penalties from enforcement agencies, making the studies MANDATORY and indispensable. Our expertise enables us to skillfully navigate the processes, prepare orderly documents, fast track the process of securing approvals, permitting, and licensing, and planning support, enabling clients move their projects forward with confidence. This is made possible given the breadth of expertise from our multidisciplinary team that includes engineers, sociologists, biologists, chemists, geologists, hydrogeologists, toxicologists, and hazmat specialists.

Our team of duly licensed and certified environmental practitioners offers the following services;

Environmental auditing,
Environmental valuation/environmental accounting,
Environmental pollution assessment,
Biodiversity surveys i.e. biodiversity impact assessments and critical habitat assessments, reptile surveys, flora and fauna surveys, tree surveys, protected species surveys, habitat surveys, invasive plant species surveys,
Natural resources auditing,
Strategic environmental assessments (SEA),
Environmental screening assessments/risk assessments,
Environmental and social due diligence (ESDD),
Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards,
Contaminated land risk assessments,
Environmental due diligence,
Environmental social management frameworks (ESMF),
Environmental and social management and monitoring plans (ESMMP),
Environmental and social impact assessments (ESIA),
Catchment management plans (CMP),
Wetland ecology and management,
River restoration studies,
Flora and fauna assessments,
Carbon auditing/carbon foot printing/carbon stock assessments,
Carbon market registration and certification processes (carbon credit markets) for both voluntary and compliance markets i.e. international carbon standards as Verra CCB, Gold Standard, IFC performance standards, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), UNDRIP principles (United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples), and REDD+ (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and additional forest related activities that protect the climate, namely sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks). We are experienced with monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) frameworks, baseline methodologies/assumptions, emissions/GHG reduction calculations, carbon market environments, blended financing, trade and trading platforms,
River erosion/deposition risk assessments,
Design of post-project appraisal and monitoring services,
Contaminated site remediation/restoration,
Oil spill management and response planning,
Pollution and waste management,
Climate change mitigation and adaptation,
Disaster response planning,
Environmental and disaster risk assessment and management,
Industrial pollution control and evaluation,
Assessment of natural disasters/hazards e.g. landslides, slope stability assessments, land subsidence monitoring, coastal erosion monitoring,
Natural resource valuations and resource assessments,
Land use planning and management,
Wetlands ecology assessments,
Water source protection planning,
Environmental pollution assessments,
Water quality assessments,
Biodiversity inventory, analysis, and mapping,
Wetlands management and conservation,
Renewable energy assessments,
Ecosystem health assessments,
Natural resources assessment and GIS Mapping,
Forestry ecosystem assessment and conservation,
Wetland resources management,
Soil quality assessments,
Botanical assessments,
Brownfield redevelopment and urban regeneration,
Bioremediation for challenging environments,
PFAs soil remediation,
Human health biomonitoring,
DNAPL and LNAPL remediation,
HRSC and 3D site characterization,
PFAs management strategies,
PFAs water treatment,
Soil bioremediation,
Site assessment for vapor intrusion,
Solutions for POPs and pesticides,
Circular economy solutions for environmental remediation,
Soil health and emerging contaminants,
Groundwater remediation,
Carbon capture and storage (CCS),
Landfill leachate treatment,
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAs) substances site screening and initial characterization,
Management of contaminated sites,
Soil treatment,
Soil health monitoring,
Disaster and environmental risk assessments.

Environmental Social Frameworks.

In planning and execution of environmental and natural resource projects, there is an increase globally in the perceived requirement for “social license” above and beyond government regulatory review. Without proper relationship building and understanding of community and indigenous perspectives, many resource projects face challenges during construction and operation.

We understand that social license must be achieved, but not at the cost of technical and economic merits of the project. We work with our clients to ensure that meaningful engagement occurs that satisfies public expectations, regulatory requirements, and lender requests, with due consideration of project realities.

Our team of social specialists is highly experienced in the practical development and execution of:

Social baseline investigations,
Socio-economic analysis/social economic surveys/socio-economic studies,
Social impact assessments,
Resettlement action plans (RAP) and resettlement frameworks for project affected persons (PAP),
Stakeholder engagement plans (SEP),
Stakeholder identification and mapping,
Stakeholder consultation and engagement,
Social safeguards planning,
Gender mainstreaming studies,
Development of gender action plans (GAP),
Development of grievance redress mechanisms (GRM),
Property valuations,
Design of equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms/drafting of community benefit-sharing agreements (i.e. revenue distribution, livelihood programs),
Ensuring project adherence to FPIC (free, prior, and informed consent),
Socio project monitoring and evaluation (M&E)/Socio-economic monitoring and research,
Delivery of stakeholder engagement training programs to client personnel.

Our social impact assessments, public consultation programs, community development plans, indigenous peoples’ development plans, and resettlement action plans combine to promote globally relevant best practices in social responsibility.

Occupational Health and Safety

Safety is paramount in high-risk industries and various engineering infrastructural projects such as mining, oil, and gas. These industries inherently involve hazardous conditions, including exposure to toxic substances, heavy machinery operation, and high-pressure environments. By incorporating robust safety protocols, industries not only mitigate the risk of accidents, but also enhance operational efficiency, protect the wellbeing of workers, and safeguard the environment. OHS thus becomes a key proactive approach in identifying potential hazards, thus reducing the likelihood of accidents and minimizing downtime due to injuries and equipment damage.

By implementing comprehensive safety measures, companies and industries can significantly reduce the financial burden associated with workplace accidents i.e. direct and indirect costs such as medical costs, lost productivity, repair costs, compensation costs, insurance costs, regulatory fines, downtime costs, lost profitability costs, and reputational damage.

Our team of occupational health and safety experts offers a comprehensive suite of OHS related services as outlined below.

Development of project safety plans (PSP),
Environmental, health, and safety planning (EHS),
Development and implementation of occupational health and safety procedures, regulations, and policies,
Venomous snake and reptile handling trainings,
General and customized occupational health and safety training,
Development of occupational health and safety policies and manuals, standard operating procedures, checklists, and guidelines,
Occupational health and safety risk assessment and reporting/documentation,
Onsite/offsite occupational health and safety implementation and management,
Occupational health and safety management system inspection and auditing,
Execution of LOTO trainings in line with OSHA requirements,
Conducting trainings such as hostile environment awareness training (HEAT), hostile environment first aid training (HEFAT), security awareness in fragile environments (SAFE),
Conducting trainings such as contractors on deployed operations initial pre-deployment trainings (CONDO IPDT),
Job safety analysis trainings,
Fire safety and emergency preparedness trainings,
First aid and accident management trainings,
Development of emergency preparedness and evacuation plans,
Incident/accident investigation and reporting,
Occupational health and safety risk management training,
Plant and equipment inspections,
Workplace/site inspection,
Process safety management training,
Occupational hygiene,
Workplace monitoring,
Toolbox training and meetings (OSHA training toolbox on safety and health topics).

Our team of strategic advisors, social scientists, and engineers integrate their industry experience, engineering expertise, knowledge of, and understanding of a bricolage of both local and global regulatory considerations to design solutions that embed utmost safety and minimise impact, while offering improved environmental, health, and safety performance. We dwell on this deep knowledge base and industry insight to ensure your project aligns with all applicable standards and regulations in every piece. We assess, anticipate, and plan. Ultimately, we design safety into your project and management systems to reduce or mitigate the risks inherent in your operations.

Given the engineering arena is among the world’s highly regulated sectors, we closely analyse and ensure strict adherence/compliance to all applicable environmental, health, safety, and industry requirements at each stage of your project’s or site’s life cycle, and ensure that these solutions are effective in their intent, applicable to your project, and cost effective for your business.

We offer a comprehensive suite of OHS related equipment as outlined below;

Self contained self rescuers (SCSR),
Mining lights, headlamps, and cap lights,
Multi gas detection instruments (toxic gas detectors/toxic gas sensors),
Respirator fit test kits with auto pumps,
Compressed breathing air (CBA) analysis kits,
Heat stress monitors,
Life jackets/life saver jackets,
Safety goggles,
Riding helmets,
Cut resistant gloves,
Safety helmets,
Reflector cones,
Safety signage,
Safety jackets,
Safety shoes steel toes,
Safety vests/reflector jackets/reflective strap vests,
Warning tapes,
Rain suits,
Transparent face shields,
Rescue vehicles and mobile chambers,
LED cap lamps,
Underground ambulances,
Reflective body belts,
Half mask respirators,
Dust masks,
Gas mask respirators and air purifying respirators,
Powered air purifying respirators (PAPR),
Chemical suits,
Ear muffs,
Ear plugs,
Filter masks,
Fall arrest harnesses,
Ventilated helmets,
Ventilated welding and grinding helmets,
Noise dosimeters,
Sound meters,
Safety face masks,
Alcohol breathalysers,
Bee protective clothing/bee suits,
Acid resistant clothing,
Safety lanyards,
Spray suits,
Gas tight chemical protective suits/encapsulating suits/powered respirator protective suits (PRPS),
Confined space and rescue tripods,
Anti acid shoes,
Anti acid gloves,
Thermal clothing,
Dust coats,
Hazmat suits,
Cold room jackets/suits,
Respirator masks,
Construction safety nets,
Eye wash stations/eye wash station emergency,
Welding auto darkening goggles,
Auto darkening welding helmets,
Welding helmets,
Welding gloves and welding masks,
Welding handheld shields,
Tool vests,
Swimming life jackets,
Rider suits,
Metal detectors,
Impact resistant gloves,
Occupational first aid kits/first aid kits,
Life saver triangles,
Caution boards,
Caution tapes,
Industrial emergency escape hoods,
Emergency escape masks,
Mini escape filtering masks,
Escape hood combined (fire and industrial),
Emergency evacuation self-rescuers,
Air purifying emergency escape breathing devices (EEBD),
Personal protective equipment (PPE),
Cooling vests,
Hi-Viz shirts,
Coverall with respirator fit hoods,
Extended response suits (ERS),
Multi-threat garment/multi hazard protective clothing,
Chemical protective boot liners,
Chemical protective integrated gloves,
Neoprene gloves,
Ambient air hatch masks,
Combustible gas monitors.

Fire Safety Engineering

Of all the responsibilities facing the domestic and industrial facilities, keeping people and property safe from the dangers of fire and smoke is among the greatest. Partly science and technology, partly psychology, partly management and law, this field requires rigorous mastery of all aspects of emergency planning, fire protection engineering, security system design and building and fire codes, while also ensuring clients realize their architectural vision and operational goals while meeting their responsibilities. Our capability extends across the complete spectrum of fire suppression systems including water spray and mist systems, gaseous systems, and special hazard foam suppression systems. We undertake planning, design, installation, and maintenance of firefighting systems. Our range of fire fighting and fire suppression equipment includes;

Fire extinguishers i.e. water, dry powder, foam, and mist fire suppression systems,
Fire drenchers,
Fire blankets,
Fire fighting trucks i.e. rescue trucks, ladder/aerial trucks, tanker/tender trucks, airport rescue and firefighting trucks,
Fire pumps,
Smoke detectors,
Fire hose reels,
Fire hydrants,
Fire hose rack cabinets/delivery hose cabinets,
Fire and rescue helmets,
Fire proximity suits/fire protective clothing,
Fire fighter gloves,
Firefighter boots,
Chemical protective clothing,
Fire alarm systems/fire bells,
Anti-smoking alarms,
Fire balls (extinguishing balls),
Fire cables,
Fire alarm control panels,
Firefighter SCBA (Self-contained breathing apparatus),
Optical flame detectors (UV/IR flame detectors),
Indoor and outdoor smoking cabins/rooms (smoking shelters), free standing cigarette disposal bins (cigarette ashtrays/smoking receptacles), stainless steel smokers’ stations, stainless steel combination ash tray and dustbins, outdoor ash trays,
Thermal imagers.

Air Quality and Dust Monitoring

Legislation and regulations regarding air pollution are expanding and changing rapidly, as we become more aware of the dangers of releasing certain substances into the atmosphere and the health impacts that air pollution can have. Developers need to manage new and adapt regulations vigilantly to ensure compliance and maintain safe levels of emissions. SANKOFA’s specialist Environment Health and Safety team offers unmatched air quality services, providing consultancy, design, and engineering solutions for clients’ air quality, odour, and dust challenges.

Our team leverages deep industry knowledge and technical expertise to provide consulting for the air quality industry in the following areas;

Noise and air quality assessment,
Environmental acoustics,
Environmental and industrial noise and vibration monitoring, assessment, and control,
Noise prediction and monitoring,
Noise control design and architectural acoustic design,
Air quality (ambient, occupational, and indoor air quality) monitoring and assessments,
Air dispersion modelling,
Odour modelling and assessments,
Air quality and noise monitoring and modelling,
Air pollution control,
Air quality impact assessments,
Odour assessment and migration investigations,
Road traffic emissions assessment and mitigation,
Ambient air quality monitoring,
Noise level monitoring, assessment, and mitigation plans.

Air Quality Sensors, Detectors, and Monitors.

With the rapid expansion of urban projects worldwide, one can see an exponential rise in pollution levels. Construction, vehicular movement, and industrial activities contribute to this rise in air pollution. In such conditions, the lack of real-time air quality data compromises the ability of stakeholders and city administrators to take corrective action. Hyperlocal deployment of robust and accurate urban air quality monitoring systems assures the residents, workers, and travellers of safe breathing conditions. Additionally, it improves the health and safety of the citizens in institutions, cities, airports, construction sites, and other urban infrastructures.

We supply a suite of air quality monitoring equipment for monitoring toxic, explosive, asphyxiating and refrigerant gases, and volatile organic compounds (VOC). We also supply radiation detectors that alert workers of potential radiation exposure at greater distances so they can respond quickly and decisively to radiation threats, ensuring safe working conditions for all staff at all times. Our range of air quality meters and monitoring equipment includes;

Air quality monitoring stations/air quality measuring stations,
Continuous emissions monitoring systems (CEMS),
Dust monitoring stations,
Flue gas analysers,
Mercury monitors and mercury vapor analysers,
Mercury safety badges,
Handheld early warning chemical detectors,
Personal gas monitors,
Aerosol and dust monitors,
Benzene gas monitors,
Landfill gas monitors,
VOC gas monitors for VOC monitoring,
Laser methane detectors,
Multi gas detectors,
Portable and fixed gas detectors,
Continuous odour monitoring systems,
Air sampling pumps and monitors,
Dry gas filters and hot air gas filtration technologies/gas purification technologiese. filter, purify, and separate gases,
Gas purity analysers,
Alcohol breathalysers/alcohol testers,
Dust filters, ear muffs, ear plugs, noise filters,
Sound level meters/noise meters/noise dosimeters,
Oxygen deficiency monitors,
Dust/noise monitoring stations,
Meteorological monitoring stations/outdoor air pollution monitors,
Confined space gas monitors,
Air sampling pump kits,
Indoor air quality monitors,
Safe air badges,
Particulate matter (PM) sensors,
Personal radiation detectors/personal radiation indicator badges,
Industrial dust analysers,
Confined space gas detectors,
Photo-ionization detectors (PID),
Flame-ionization detectors (FID),
Portable emissions monitoring systems (PEMS),
Indoor air quality testing kits,
Sequential dust collectors and dust samplers,
Transmission risk air monitors,
CBRNE detectors i.e. chemical biological radiation nuclear explosive detection equipment and integrated systems,

Gas mask filters i.e. particles filters (dusts, aerosols, bacteria, viruses), gas filters (gases, organic and inorganic vapors, acids, etc) and combined filters (gas and particles). Any air purifying respirator is efficient only if the oxygen rate in ambient air exceeds 19.5% of the volume.

Solid Waste Management

As economies develop and advance, there is an increasing generation of wastes, posing severe risks to ecosystems and human health. Poor waste management, ranging from non-existing collection systems to ineffective disposal causes air pollution, water, and soil contamination. Various solutions to solid waste exist, including recovery of materials and energy from waste, as well as recycling waste into usable products. The implementation of integrated solid waste management strategies, focusing on proper collection, treatment, and disposal/reuse is necessary. It involves the complete process of collecting, transportation, treating, and disposing of solid waste.

Solid waste management mainly refers to the complete process of collecting, treating, and disposing of solid wastes. In the waste management process, the wastes are collected from different sources and are disposed of. This process includes collection, transportation, treatment, analysis and disposal of waste. The solid waste management process needs to be monitored so that strict regulations and guidelines are followed.

We offer the services outlined below in respect of solid waste management;

Development of solid waste management plans,
Feasibility study, engineering design, and implementation of waste-to-energy initiatives,
Supply and installation of high quality thermolysis, hydrolysis, and sorting plants for solid waste i.e. equipment that relies on thermodecomposition to convert both organic and plastic waste into products such as electricity, bioethanol, bunker fuel, biochar, heat, etc.,
Installation of waste-to-energy power plants. These process municipal waste to produce electricity, replacing landfills and dumpsites,
Engineering design and construction of solid waste disposal and processing plants such as transfer stations, sanitary landfills, and dumpsites,
Rehabilitation of dumpsites,
Waste audits and minimization strategies,
Rehabilitation of unauthorized waste fields,
Supply of plastic recycling plants i.e. recycling plastic waste into pavers, tiles, and blocks,
Supply of shredding machines,
Supply and installation of composting machines for kitchen waste (food waste composters), that convert it into organic fertilizer,
Supply of waste incinerators and cremators (for animal bodies),
Supply and installation of pyrolysis plants for recycling used tyres into oil and syngas,
Supply of self-loading and dumping garbage trucks, detachable container garbage trucks, sealed garbage bin carriers, electric wet waste collection trucks, roll off garbage trucks, hook lift garbage trucks, etc.

In setting up recycling plants, we support clients with;

Development of project concepts,
Structural and architectural designs,
Design of all types of waste recycling equipment,
Preparation of detailed documentation for approval of the projects,
Procurement, installation, testing, and commissioning.

Sanitary Landfills.

Land disposal is the most common management strategy for municipal solid waste. Refuse can be safely deposited in a sanitary landfill, a disposal site that is carefully selected, designed, constructed, and operated to protect the environment and public health. One of the most important factors relating to landfilling is that the buried waste never comes in contact with surface water or groundwater. Engineering design requirements include a minimum distance between the bottom of the landfill and the seasonally high groundwater table. Most new landfills are required to have an impermeable liner or barrier at the bottom i.e. HDPE geomembrane dam liner, as well as a system of groundwater-monitoring wells. Completed landfill sections must be capped with an impermeable cover to keep precipitation or surface runoff away from the buried waste. Bottom and cap liners may be made of flexible plastic membranes, layers of clay soil, or a combination of both.

Solid Waste Composting.

Composting is an aerobic process in which organic food or agricultural waste is decomposed into nutrient-rich compost, which improves soil properties. The composting process is a biochemical decomposition of organic solid waste with the formation of a compost-like output (CLO), which can be used for agricultural or other purposes. According to some estimates, up to 30% of municipal solid waste can be composted.

Composting is the interaction of organic material with bacteria in an oxygen environment. Heat, nitrogenous products, carbon dioxide and water are continuously released as a result of this process. The plant can use all of these products. In addition, composting solid organic waste significantly reduces the amount of garbage that must be transported and disposed of in landfills.

Pyrolysis Plants.

Tire pyrolysis allows for the efficient recycling of used tires, which helps to address the significant environmental and waste management challenges associated with tire disposal. It provides a sustainable solution to reduce the accumulation of waste tires and their negative impact on landfills and the environment.

Resource Recovery.

Tire pyrolysis plants enable the recovery of valuable resources from used tires. The process generates byproducts such as pyrolysis oil, carbon black, and combustible gas. These materials can be further processed and used as energy sources or raw materials in various industries, reducing the dependence on virgin resources.

Carbonization Plants (Biomass Pyrolysis Plants).

Mobile skid mounted carbonization plants,
Woody waste carbonization plants,
Agricultural waste carbonization plants,
Sludge carbonization plants,
Biomass waste carbonization plants,
Forestry waste carbonization plants.

Solid Waste Incineration.

Incineration is a process of controlled burning of garbage to produce simple substances and energy. During this chemical reaction, nitrogen, carbon, and other elements are oxidized in the combustion zone and generate a large amount of heat. Currently, only a small percentage of solid waste in the world goes to incinerators.

How an Incinerator Works.

Waste incineration is an important part of modern waste management systems. This process burns waste materials to reduce their volume and generate electric power. While waste incineration has its critics, modern incinerators are far cleaner and more efficient than in years past.

What is Waste Incineration and Why Does it Matter?

Waste incineration refers to the burning of waste for disposal and energy recovery. It’s an alternative to sending waste materials like municipal solid waste, medical waste, and general waste to landfills. Incineration can reduce the volume of waste by up to 90% while also generating electricity, making it an essential part of sustainable waste management.

Incineration offers the following potential advantages;

Volume reduction,
Detoxification,
Environmental impact mitigation,
Regulatory compliance,
Energy recovery,
Stabilization in landfills,
Detoxification and sterilization.

It’s essential to understand that only substances that can burn will undergo incineration. Non-combustible materials will end up as either ash or flue gas, depending on their boiling points.

Environmental and Natural Resource Management