Environmental Impact Assessment of Steel Plants Using Modified RIAM Method (Case Study: Tiam Steel Plant in Guilan Province)

Nowadays, environmental considerations are known to be a necessity in the country to achieve the objectives of sustainable development. In this regard, environmental impact assessment is an appropriate tool to achieve the sustainable development objectives. Thus, environmental impact assessment of constructing Tiam steel factories as a mechanism by providing the proper and reasonable techniques of human and natural resources can reduce the costs. The aim of this study is to identify and predict the environmental impacts of constructing Tiam Bistoon steel and rolling factories by using modified RIAM matrix, providing methods to reduce the harmful environmental effects and rendering corrective proceedings.
The study area is located in industrial town of Tiam Bistooon at the east of Fouman County. In this study, the prominent impacts of constructing Tiam Bistoon steel and rolling factory were investigated using modified RIAM method for analyzing the impacts of construction in two construction and operation phases.
Findings: The results of analysis showed that construction activities and dismantling workshops, earthworks and construction camps had the greatest negative impact on air quality, noise level, soil erosion and surface water resources parameters in physico-chemical environment during the construction period. In biological environment, also, vegetation density would be mostly affected by clearing activities. Moreover, land use change and decline of health indicators have been known as the most significant negative impacts on the socio-economic environment.
During the Tiam steel plant operation, the most effective activities have been identified to be combustion process, withdrawal of underground water resources, waste disposal, and transportation of raw materials and etc. which affected the regional air quality, noise level, amount of groundwater and soil characteristics. The most significant negative impact of the project, due to the gases emitted from combustion, would be on regional vegetation and habitat quality in the ecological and biological environment. Also creating job opportunities, thriving businesses and national development prosperity are the most significant positive effects of the project on the economic and social environment during the construction and operation periods. Due to the fact that most of the negative impacts of the project are in very small range, the project can be executed by applying environmental management methods and mitigation measures.