How Environmental Services Protect Our Planet

by Argonne National Laboratory

With the world becoming more aware of how important and precious our environment is, it has become clear that within every industry, environmental services need to be put into practice. Obviously, for some industries the need for these services are more apparent, but in every business waste alone is a problem that needs to be addressed. Even if the issue is not waste, then large industries such as the nuclear industry need a lot of support to prevent any environmental problems. Here in this article we look at some of the work environmental engineers participate in.

Environmental engineering works to solve or prevent problems that may arise from certain industries, these professionals often work in a number of capacities and industries to help companies and engineering projects improve environmental practices. In addition to these environmental services, environmental engineers are knowledgeable about topics within biology, geology, chemistry and public health. Their main goal is to provide environmental services that will develop solutions to environmental problems by applying engineering. Engineers may work in projects such as providing water wells in the third world that offer safe drinking water to assisting with the clean up of a contaminated site.

Other aspects to their environmental services include conducting environmental assessments, identifying issues within the natural environment. These are then developed to produce solutions and policies which can all be used to the benefit of the environment. Environmental engineers will find themselves working for a varied group of markets such as power, government, industrial, commercial and infrastructure.

Improving the environment clearly has its benefits for human life and the many industries that need the environmental services. But the engineers are also concerned with protecting all of the other species that really on our earth to survive. Their work also looks at protecting habitats for endangered plants and wildlife, balancing the needs of human and animals within sensitive areas. Environmental engineers also look at finding ways of utilising resources so that wildlife and plants will also be able to use the resources.

Overall there are many aspects to the environmental services that environmental engineers provide to ensure that any projects that could affect the environment are monitored. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) are written reports that assess results of the natural impact, social impact and economic concerns of projects that can be discussed by members of the public. The assessment includes recommendations to minimize the impact of a project. EIA's are becoming quickly a legal requirement for most projects across the world.

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the environmental engineering industry.
Find out more about Environmental Services and how the services available can help with environmental impact assessments at URS Corp.