Proposed environmental management plan for the lemon processing center in the Rancho Pampa community, Torotoro municipality, Potosí department

Abstract

This study presents the development of an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) for a Lime Processing Plant located in the Rancho Pampa community, Torotoro municipality, Potosí department, Bolivia. The research arose from the lack of environmental regulatory instruments in the industry, which leads to the generation of negative impacts without mitigation strategies, aggravated by its location within a protected area. The main objective was to design an EMP that established detailed actions for the prevention, reduction, and mitigation of environmental impacts associated with the plant's operation. To this end, theoretical and conceptual foundations of environmental management were integrated with a mixed methodology that included a comprehensive documentary review, analysis and synthesis of relevant information, direct observation, measurement of critical environmental parameters, and the application of specific research techniques and instruments for the identification and characterization of impacts. The results of the analysis revealed significant regulatory noncompliance, particularly in sound pressure levels, which exceeded the 70 dB(A) established in Bolivian environmental legislation (Law No. 1333 and its Environmental Regulations for the Manufacturing Industrial Sector). The proposed EMP, based on current regulations, includes specific measures to mitigate the identified impacts. A technical- economic analysis demonstrated the financial viability of implementing the EMP, yielding an Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 35.72% and a Net Present Value (NPV) of $37,287.48, with an estimated investment payback period of two years. It is concluded that the developed EMP provides a structured and economically viable framework for the environmental management of the industry, ensuring regulatory compliance and minimizing its ecological footprint in a sensitive ecosystem. Adoption of the EMP is recommended, considering the production averages of the last two years for more effective implementation.