RAIN CALCINING ADVISORY

completed

- 2 - March 28, 2000INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATIONA Member of the World Bank GroupINTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATIONA Member of the World Bank Group March 28, 2000 COTE D''IVOIRE: Societe des Caoutchoucs de Grand Bereby (SOGB)Environmental Review Summary1. Societe des Caoutchoucs de Grand Bereby (SOGB) is a government owned plantation company currently being privatized. The proposed project involves, besides privatization, restructuring and modernization of the rubber plantation and processing plant.2. This is a category B project according to IFC''s environmental review procedure because specific impacts may result which can be avoided or mitigated by adhering to generally recognized performance standards, guidelines or design criteria. The review of this project consisted of information submitted by the project sponsor and the technical appraisal and site review completed by IFC''s Agribusiness Department staff. The following potential environmental, health and safety impacts of this project were analyzed: • land use; • resettlement; • air emissions; • liquid effluent; • solid wastes; • noise generation; • pesticide handling and application; and • general employee health and safety.The information provided about how these potential impacts would be addressed in the SOGB project is summarized in the paragraphs that follow.3. The SOGB plantation was developed on a 35,000 ha concession of which approximately 50% has been retained under the original vegetation. The split of approximately 50% developed and 50% retained as original vegetation will be sustained. The minor developments of 100 hectare per year of new rubber is to maintain the development skills within the company and the areas will be taken from brush and scrub areas adjacent to the already developed zones.4. The project will not include acquisition of new land or major developments and will not impose any resettlement.5. The SOGB facilities does not generate any air emissions other than the normal odors associated with a rubber processing unit.6. The rubber processing result in a liquid effluent. The liquid effluent is treated in a series of solid rubber traps and anaerobic/aerobic ponds to bring the BOD level below 50 mg/liter. After treatment the effluent is used for irrigation purposes.7. SOGB''s facilities will not produce any solid waste. Rubber collected from the solid rubber traps in the wastewater treatment system will be sold as low grade rubber.8. The existing operations use noisy equipment in the processing facility. As part of the project the processing operation will be modernized to bring noise levels below 85 dBA. Hearing protection will be provided where necessary.9. SOGB has agreed to comply with the World Bank guidelines for pesticide handling and application. These guidelines limit use of air application and use of pesticides with low biodegradability or toxicity to mammals and fish. The guidelines further encourage the introduction of integrated pest management (IPM) to fight pests with biological means when possible. However, mature rubber uses virtually no pesticides other than occasionally use of herbicides for control of vegetation in the tree row and at SOGB weed control is normally done by manual labor. SOGB is having a separate storage for agrichemicals and they are only applied by special teams schooled at a training center.10. Workers'' health and safety on the plantation is regularly checked. Protective clothing is provided to workers using chemicals. The plantation operates its own hospital for the workers and dependents, whilst each division operates a regular dispensary for minor clinical visits.11. IFC will ensure ongoing compliance with World Bank environmental, health and safety policies and guidelines during the life of the project by evaluating monitoring reports submitted annually to IFC by SOGB and by conducting periodic supervision.12. Based on its review of available information regarding potential environmental impacts and proposed mitigation measures, IFC concludes that SOGB''s proposed project is designed to meet World Bank environmental, health and safety policies and guidelines, and host country requirements.niels\d''ivoire\sogb\ers