Filling Station Case Study

Filling stations are considered one of the projects that have a negative impact on the environment thus Environmental Impact Assessment is implemented to avoid or prevent a sudden increase in the number of filling stations across the world. According to Wood (2003) EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) is a tool for the anticipation of different potential environmental impacts caused by different human activities taking place in the environment. A sudden increase in the number of filling stations exerts pressure on the environment, therefore measures should be taken to conserve our natural environment.
2.2 EIA and proliferation of filling stations
Hughes (1998) mentioned that EIA is a system used to enhance choice making and guarantee that

According to Afolabi (2011) population growth in the urban sectors in Nigeria increases the use of vehicles and other fuel demanding machines thus increasing the demand of fuel, hence resulting in proliferation of filling stations. Population growth has remained the main factor behind the rapid mushrooming of filling stations worldwide. For example, Vhembe District Municipality had a population of approximately 1 294 722 in the year 2011 and accelerated to 1 393 949 in 2016 (Census, 2016), for this reason fuel became in high demand thus increasing the number of filling stations in the District Municipality. Furthermore, Arokoyu et.al (2015) confirmed that rapid population growth expands utilization of automobiles, thus increasing requirement for fuelling benefits burgeoning filling

A study done by Johnson and Lewis (2007) imparts that trees are of importance to the environment since they help anchor the soil; for this reason deforestation remains a burden to the natural environment. Due to deforestation there is likely to be habitat destruction; with the change in land use species tend to lose their habitats. Before constructing filling stations there is removal of the topsoil, this results in soil erosion at the construction