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Environmental

FIRST has a significant track record and has proven its competence in the Egyptian environmental services market. The firm has acquired substantial experience in different environmental fields and has achieved unparalleled comprehension of the development of environmental management in Egypt.

ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY AND PLANNING FIRST has mainly been involved in providing support in the formulation and implementation of policies. Our individual and collective experiences have heightened our awareness of the implement ability of policies. Accordingly, implementation requirements become an integral part of policy formulation to provide guidelines to the feasibility of the policies considered. Moreover, our involvement extends to the assessment of non-environmental policies to investigate their environmental implications, to recommend measures necessary for adjustments, and to ensure required mutual support. Our approach ensures effective integration of efforts and the achievement of required objectives through undertaking the following activities: a comprehensive investigation of current status and trends of policy-making, the formulation of suitable alternatives, which take into account the full spectrum of operational requirements as well as stakeholder roles and interests. A full awareness of costs and benefits of the alternative policies guides the formulation process. Assignments within this field address several aspects including:
  • Development and analysis of environment-related policies and strategies
  • Development of environmental action plans on the sector, local and entity levels
  • Development of indicators and internal monitoring systems needed for evaluation and follow-up
  • Assessment and evaluation of effectiveness of programs and projects
ENVIRONMENTAL MEASUREMENTS AND MONITORING At FIRST Company, We have the capabilities for all the environmental measurements related to industrial and service sectors including the following measurements:
  • Work Environment pollutants and gases survey
  • Ambient Air Monitoring (Continuous Air Monitoring)
  • Noise Intensity, Noise Dose and Octave Band Survey
  • Illumination intensity measurements
  • Vibration , Heat stress measurements
  • Industrial Stack Emissions and particulates measurements
  • Exhaust emissions measurements
  • Volatile Organic Compounds measurements
  • Earthing Resistance Measurements
  • Thermal Mapping
  • Respiratory and Total Suspended Particulates measurements (TSP, PM10, PM7, PM5, PM2.5, PM1)
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT
  • At FIRST, we believe that the EIA is a process geared towards environmental management and sustainability of the development through providing the basis for decision-making. Our approach depends on prevention rather than mitigation.As the early integration of environmental considerations is usually more cost effective in minimizing impact, we attempt to closely integrate the EIA in the design phase. The environmental dimension is employed in addressing and comparing siting, design and operation alternatives to select the most environmental-friendly options. In a number of cases, FIRST has been involved in both the EIA development and the design of the project, which resulted in the incorporation of the environmental dimension as a design parameter. In all cases, assessment includes the impacts of the project on the environment as well as the impacts of the environment on the project to reach the required optimization between environmental safeguards and development sustainability.We believe that both the effectiveness and quality of the EIA depend mainly on the EIA team, on a full understanding of the project specific features and settings and on the utilization of the appropriate tools. FIRST multidisciplinary team has prepared numerous EIAs in different sectors, including industry, both on the facility and complex level, mining, tourism, infrastructure, and waste management projects. The team seeks the skills of external experts to complement its in-house capabilities. One of our main strengths is tailoring the EIA methodology and approach to the nature of the project, especially regarding analysis of baseline environmental data, impact assessment and recommendations. The tools used differ according to the type of projects and may involve qualitative and quantitative techniques including modeling, GIS and remote sensing. According to the type of projects, social assessment may be carried out as an integral part of the EIA or as a separate comprehensive study (social impact assessment). Along our assignments, we have prepared EIAs according to both Egyptian and International EIA standards.Throughout the development of the EIA, we maintain neutral professionalinteraction with both the developer and the regulatory authorities. This is to help internalizing the objective of achieving the balance between development and the need for environmental protection. Assignments undertaken by the firm have addressed different aspects of the EIA system, namely;
    • Policy-making and institutional development for EIA review system within the EEAA or other entities.
    • Preparation of strategic impact assessment to aid developers at the level of project planning and design levels.
    • Supporting developers for preparation of environmental and social impact assessment for their specific projects.
    • Training and capacity building
     

INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Since its establishment, FIRST has been involved in institutional development projects addressing a wide spectrum of activities. A number of these activities include the establishment of new systems in which FIRST team sets the principles for system evolution. FIRST was involved in on a number of aspects:

  • The institutional and organizational set-up of the system;
  • Its internal and external communication network;
  • The responsibilities, job description and profiles of involved personnel;
  • The required tools, including guiding manuals; and
  • Action plans for system establishment and procedures required to ensure its effective operation.

Other projects addressed the development of tools necessary for effective

operationalization of existing systems. Such tools include working procedures, coordination procedures, and guiding manuals.

Our approach is based on a thorough understanding of the existing status of the system. This approach is addressed through comprehensive investigation and assessment to identify required action and activities.

Assignments within this field address several aspects including:

  • Institutional set-up and upgrading of environmental systems while formulating mode of operation, procedures and coordination mechanisms
  • Institutional set-up of environmental administration and the development of its operational procedures
  • Capacity building of personnel through the development of guidelines and manuals
  • Undertaking needs assessment studies to identify training, physical and technical needs
ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING
  • FIRST has ample experience in training and capacity building activities. The training activities address various audience including environmental managers, inspectors and environmental teams in different industrial and service facilities. The firm has developed extensive material to upgrade the capabilities of personnel so that they can effectively undertake their responsibilities. Environmental training is conducted to either provide newly recruited personnel with the fundamental background necessary to effectively undertake their responsibilities or as part of a continuous process of performance enhancement through an incremental accumulation of skills and knowledge. Other modules address the capacity building of experienced personnel to prepare them for the role.Throughout the different training modules, FIRST has accumulated experience and information, particularly regarding industrial sectors, their environmental aspects, and pollution abatement measures. The topics of training include inspection, auditing, and implementation of environmental management schemes. of trainers for others. The firm has successfully conducted several training modules based on a uniform approach developed and continuously updated by FIRST staff to ensure sustainability and effectiveness. This approach differs according to the experience of the trainees. For newly recruited personnel, training is mainly based on maintaining continuous involvement of the trainees through group and individual exercises. This allows them to acquire the newly introduced skills, exchange experiences, and evaluate their acquired knowledge. For experienced personnel, on-the-job training is adopted to build on their field experience. A number of the training courses were preceded by a comprehensive training needs assessment for the target groups.Assignments within this field address several training subjects including:
    • Environmental management systems
    • Environmental impact assessment
    • Hazardous waste management
    • Inspection and environmental regulatory requirements
    • Planning and management
     
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF
    • PROTECTED AREAS (PAS)FIRST has undertaken numerous assignments for the investigation and evaluation of environmental conditions with a focus on ecological assessment and biodiversity conservation. The team has also provided, through donors’ projects, valuable technical assistance to the Government of Egypt concerning natural resources conservation, establishment, planning, and management of  PAS.Assignments within this field address several different facets including:
      • Terrestrial biodiversity-related assignments
      • Marine biodiversity-related assignments
      • Assessments undertaken in protected areas
COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT FIRST has its own in-house capacity and has provided its services in Marine and Coastal Zone Management "MCZM", to a diversity of clients. These are mainly tourist developments in coastal areas with a special focus on the Red Sea. Sustainable tourism requires such integrated services which include:
  • Shoreline "beach enhancement" management
  • House reef management plans
  • Natural Resource/assets, carrying capacity assessment, monitoring and management plans
  • Waste management and impact mitigation.
ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILES AND AUDITING
  • FIRST has been involved in the preparation of a number of surveys ranging from environmental profiles at the national or governorate level to more specific surveys at the sectoral level. At FIRST, efficiency of the data collection process is secured through a thorough understanding of the actions considered and careful identification of the assignment scope. In this manner, we avoid expending valuable resources in the preparation of exhaustive profiles. Scoped profiles would effectively contribute to the decision making process by providing recommendations for action, based on the analysis of collected data. The process of data collection and assessment is supported by a network of contacts needed to acquire the necessary information. Interviews and field visits are conducted to incorporate the views of stakeholders in a comprehensive decision making process. The recommended plans of action are based on athorough investigation and analysis of collected information using decision rules appropriate to the focus of the assignment, thus ensuring a transparent and effective logical chain from data collection to recommended action 
ENERGY PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
    • Energy has been part of FIRST activities for a number of years. However, this activity that started as a growth of the environmental focus of the firm, has taken a path of its own during the last few years. This is a reflection of a rising interest in Egypt for energy management, and the realization that the energy mix highly reliant on depletable resources needs to be revisited. FIRST activities in this area are mainly focused on the need for a balanced energy transition in which Energy Efficiency plays a dual role, economic returns/savings and allowing more time for the transition to Renewable Energy to take place. Accordingly, most of the activities are policy oriented, but also include the establishment of specific renewable energy plants and economic/financial assessment of specific interventions.
WASTE MANAGEMENT FIRST is active in the field of waste management with a focus on Industrial wastes. FIRST has accumulated an experience unparalleled in Egypt in the different aspects of industrial waste management which allowed the provision of high quality consultancy services to both regulators and generators. Assignments undertaken by the firm have addressed different aspects of the industrial Waste Management System, namely development of system components, institutional development, development of guidelines, capacity building as well as supporting industrial facilities in implementing waste management practices. Targets for our activities are equally diverse, encompassing waste regulators, bodies involved in hazardous waste management operations, and hazardous waste generators with an emphasis on the industrial sector. Working with such a diversified client and stakeholders' base enables us to investigate, and constructively contribute to, hazardous waste management in Egypt from its different angles. FIRST team has been involved in assignments addressing almost all components of waste management system through the development of guidelines, procedures or training including classification of hazardous wastes, transportation, storage, permitting, on-site management as well as hazardous waste treatment and disposal. Along these assignments, FIRST team has had ample opportunity for continuous involvement in and contribution to, evolving hazardous waste management issues as well as provides quality services to generators. Such multilateral involvement in the hazardous waste management system has allowed the firm to enrich the development of the system through useful feedback regarding the practicality and implement ability of related regulations and requirements. Assignments within this field have addressed several items including:
  • Training and capacity building of industry and regulatory agencies
  • Technical support to the implementation of hazardous waste management
  • Institutional development of hazardous waste related units and system
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WASTE MANAGEMENT FIRST is active in the field of waste management with a focus on Industrial wastes. FIRST has accumulated an experience unparalleled in Egypt in the different aspects of industrial waste management which allowed the provision of high quality consultancy services to both regulators and generators. Assignments undertaken by the firm have addressed different aspects of the industrial Waste Management System, namely development of system components, institutional development, development of guidelines, capacity building as well as supporting industrial facilities in implementing waste management practices. Targets for our activities are equally diverse, encompassing waste regulators, bodies involved in hazardous waste management operations, and hazardous waste generators with an emphasis on the industrial sector. Working with such a diversified client and stakeholders' base enables us to investigate, and constructively contribute to, hazardous waste management in Egypt from its different angles. FIRST team has been involved in assignments addressing almost all components of waste management system through the development of guidelines, procedures or training including classification of hazardous wastes, transportation, storage, permitting, on-site management as well as hazardous waste treatment and disposal. Along these assignments, FIRST team has had ample opportunity for continuous involvement in and contribution to, evolving hazardous waste management issues as well as provides quality services to generators. Such multilateral involvement in the hazardous waste management system has allowed the firm to enrich the development of the system through useful feedback regarding the practicality and implement ability of related regulations and requirements. Assignments within this field have addressed several items including:
  • Training and capacity building of industry and regulatory agencies
  • Technical support to the implementation of hazardous waste management
  • Institutional development of hazardous waste related units and system
Download our service sheets