Environmental impact assessment, compliance monitoring and reporting in electroplating: Well-Ever, the Philippines

The electroplating industry has significant public exposure because of its significant health, safety and environmental impacts (US EPA 1997). Among the most important impacts are the use of hazardous inputs and the generation of hazardous wastewater (Bashkin 2003). In the Philippines, entities which cause considerable pollution, such as electroplating companies, are required to provide information to local environmental authorities concerning expected environmental impacts, planned improvement measures, and monitoring processes (Figure 9.1: Box 15). In addition, actual measurements are needed on a regular basis to demonstrate compliance with environmental regulations (Boxes 9, 11) (DENR 2003a,b).