Environmental Impact Assessment of Outputs from the Iron and Steel Industry and Treatment Methods

Abstract

Environmental crimes caused by humans have increased due to scientific advancements accompanying human development, often occurring without effective oversight—or if oversight exists, it is reactive, addressing problems only after they become catastrophic or are revealed post-occurrence. Alarmingly, these environmental issues are often tied to political matters, where state sovereignty prioritizes maintaining development or other considerations, regardless of the environmental and human consequences. Often, investors causing these impacts are foreign entities.

In the current era, harmful pollutants have multiplied and taken many forms, all severely damaging living organisms and the surrounding environment. The natural environment consists of four interlinked systems: the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere—all of which support life in the thin layer surrounding the earth’s surface. About 71% of the earth's surface is covered by water, with only 2.8% being fresh water. Of this, 2.15% exists as ice caps and glaciers, and only 0.63% is groundwater.

Due to unregulated science, uncontrolled industries have begun releasing pollutants, making this sector a major source of environmental disasters and diseases affecting both nature and humans, with few exceptions.

Industry is a key driver of national development policies, and Libya is no exception. Its industrial sector has grown steadily since the early 1970s, with varying industrial models depending on the country’s affiliations—British, French, Arab, or otherwise.

This study focuses on one of the most important industries in central Libya—the iron and steel industry—which is a main source of public revenue but also a significant source of environmental pollution if not properly regulated under existing environmental laws. Specifically, the industrial wastewater containing heavy metals from this sector poses a serious threat to the environment.