Environmental quality standards and their types

In order to obtain an objective assessment, corresponding to the level and quality of the environment, it is necessary to conduct a differentiated analysis simultaneously in several directions. Among the factors that influence the results of the assessment, the basic components of the environmental situation: air, water, soil, food, and much more.

Value of rationing in environmental activities

The environmental quality standards are intended for special limitation of exposure to harmful substances. As a rule, the likelihood of the appearance of many toxins and the harmful trace elements of the ecology of microelements is extremely high in the process of industrial, agricultural and other production, as well as throughout the life of society.

Solving problems in the environmental sphere of the state is fundamentally important for the normal existence of its population. Active harmful substances on the human body often lead to the development of pathological processes, including various complications and painful syndromes, including toxic, mutagenic, anaphylactic, malignant, embryotropic and gonadotropic.

What are the environmental quality standards?

The main classification of these indicators allows them to be divided into such types of environmental quality standards:

• Standards of the sanitary and hygienic sphere;
• Complex of environmental norms;
• Indicators in the production and economic sector;
• Temporary standards.

Each of these types of standards needs more detailed consideration, since it has a significant value in drawing up the final picture of the results obtained.

The block of sanitary-and-hygienic specifications

To the standards of environmental quality are, first of all, sanitary-protective and hygienic criteria. For example, the latter imply a whole complex of important gradations that determine the level in the natural background of negative components. These are the maximum permissible concentrations of harmful toxic agents in air, rivers, lakes and soils; Indicators of physical impact (noise, radiation, vibration, electromagnetic radiation), which neither now nor in subsequent years can affect the health of residents and their descendants.

For example, if the active substance adversely affects the state of a natural object in smaller concentrations (in comparison with the effect on the human body), then the environmental quality standards are established based on the intensity of the influence of this component on the elements of the biosphere. The higher thresholds of indicators, providing security only to a person, are not taken into account.

Principles for the development of hygienic environmental standards

If we talk again about hygiene, then here we are talking first and foremost about toxicometric criteria. Appropriate dosages, concentrations of hazardous substances or the effects of physical factors cause similar fixed reactions of the body.

Not surprisingly, today such environmental quality standards find their application in the territory of the post-Soviet states. In some regions, under more severe conditions of the natural environment, additional norms can be established.

Sanitary protection standards

Sanitary-protective indicators of environmental quality standards have a different purpose. Their goal is to fully protect the health of the population of a particular region or geographical area. To measures for bringing sanitary protection zones in line with established norms, one should include:

• Ensuring the necessary cleanliness of water use points;
• Prevention of adverse effects of polluting sources.

Standardization and norms in the environmental field

Ecological standards of environmental quality serve to determine the limit of anthropogenic impact on the natural environment. If they are exceeded, there is a threat of impeding the preservation of the most appropriate conditions for the life of the person and his natural environment. Here, too, these criteria can not be considered unilaterally, as they can be ecologically-hygienic and ecologically-protective. In addition, the maximum permissible loads on the natural environment are of great importance.

Environmental standards are environmental quality standards, when it is important to assume that in terms of hygiene indicators, among the many bioactive organisms there are species more sensitive to pollution than humans. And if for people the established norms can be an order of magnitude higher than those required by other living organisms, then the rational decision will be the introduction of lowered standards in order to ensure a full-fledged vital activity to other forms of life.

Types of environmental standards

Irreplaceable are environmental protection normative indicators, the main direction of which is to save the gene pool of the planet, replenish ecosystems, preserve objects of historical, cultural and natural value. A vivid example of the use of such provisions can be called the organization of biosphere reserve zones, natural national parks, etc.

Other environmental criteria also apply to environmental quality standards. The maximum permissible values of the load on the natural environment set themselves the task of preventing anomalous depletion of natural resources and damage to natural ecological ties. It is extremely important to achieve expedient planning in the use and reproduction of minerals. Such environmental quality standards are usually obtained through long scientific calculations. In the process of determining the exact threshold values, it is especially important to justify the permissibility of the degree of industrial impact on a particular natural natural area.

Industrial and economic provisions in the regulation of environmental quality

The next block includes provisions designed to identify the lower thresholds of indicators, the occurrence of which is allowed in the production and economic sectors. Change the parameters of the implementation of activities in this area can be mainly through limiting the functions of a particular enterprise, which is dangerous from the point of view of specialists in the field of sanitary and environmental rationing. The most common production and economic standards are:

• Technological standards;
• Provisions calculated for recreational areas;
• Norms that are taken into account during construction.

The first subgroup includes MPE, PDS and PDT. The maximum permissible emissions and discharges of harmful substances into the atmosphere, water bodies, as well as volumes of burned fuel are set individually for each source of pollution in the environment. Such standards are interrelated with the profile direction of the enterprise, the amount and nature of the harmful impact.

The issue of acquaintance with the town planning regulations has to be addressed in the development of security and guaranteeing the safety of the environment. Only in that case can be the place of planning and development of the settlement.

The third group focuses on other standards. The environmental quality standards in the recreational zones allow us to properly use natural complexes, leaving the conditions for the development of tourism and spa businesses.

What are the time limits?

Temporary standards are often set in cases where, for some reason, it is not possible to calculate one of the above-described indicators. Where technological, sanitary or hygienic standards can not be developed, temporary provisions are used. However, it should also be noted that over time, given the scientific progress, technologies and equipment are constantly being modernized, which means that there is a possibility of tightening standards to reduce the impact on the environment.

How to check the condition of the air?

It is also possible to evaluate the quality of individual elements of the biosphere with the help of numerous variations of these norms. In particular, it is possible to analyze the state of the air envelope of the region on the basis of several instruments:

1. The maximum allowable concentration of harmful substances in the air of the industrial zone. This rationing involves measuring the concentration of harmful substances in the air with an eight-hour working day or a 40-hour work week. It is considered permissive to accumulate substances that are not capable of causing disease. Moreover, it is possible to detect occupational disease not only in the course of labor activity, but also in the future.
2. The maximum allowable concentration of contaminants in the air of human settlements. Sub-sensory (reflex) reactions of the human body should not occur with a half-hour inhalation of air with permissible concentration.
3. Permissible concentration of pollutants in the airspace of the working band as a temporary standard, valid for not more than 2 years.
4. Maximum permissible emissions of harmful and polluting substances into the environment. This criterion is necessary to ensure maximum compliance with sanitary and hygienic regulations in the air of settlements, taking into account complex meteorological conditions. Such standards of environmental quality are valid for up to 5 years.
5. The maximum allowable number of fuel burnt. This indicator guarantees compliance with all the requirements of sanitary services related to combustion products of fuel in the atmosphere of settlements.

The value of water basin quality standards

An important role in the system of sanitary and ecological indicators is played by the analysis of the condition and contamination of the water basin. The established standards of environmental quality, in particular water bodies, allow controlling the amount of harmful and toxic substances entering the water. The maximum permissible concentrations should in no way have a direct or indirect effect on the health of people of the current, as well as subsequent generations.

Hygienic conditions of water use, in turn, will allow to preserve the quality of water bodies used for fishing economic fields. Moreover, the indices of permissible concentration in such a water basin will always be stricter and tougher than analogues established for practically bezrybnyh rivers, lakes and stakes. This fact can be explained by the fact that toxic and inorganic compounds have the property of accumulating in significant quantities in aquatic organisms.

Standards required for rationing of soil, noise and radiation indicators

Assessment of the soil layer also occurs according to the regulations established according to the maximum allowable concentration of pollutants in the plow layer. The negative impact that the soil, which is saturated with toxins and chemical components, in contact with water, air, plants, can indirectly affect human health. Calculations of standards are valid for three years.

Standards and standards for environmental quality include other indicators. These include noise and radiation criteria. The first group of developed norms implies fixed maximum permissible noise levels, according to which the daily and systematic impact on human health will not negatively affect its performance.

Radiation pollution of the biosphere must be constantly monitored by the sanitary authorities. The consequences of excessive or prolonged accumulation of radioactive substances in the human body can be extremely difficult. It is known that ionizing radiation can cause cancer. Therefore, the indicators of these standards should imply the impossibility of unreasonable exposure.