FUND RAISING SWIM – Donations to sponsor Chris and Adam at http://www.justgiving.com/Swim4Whales

The ESG was contacted yesterday by Chris Shepherd, one of two swimmers about to embark on a highly challenging swim that will involve Tarifa -Morocco and back in one day! The aim is to raise funds for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society that carries out vital work in protecting dolphin and whales the world over, and importantly, striving for a ban on hunting of these intelligent and wonderful marine mammals. See the text below for more information and link for sending your donation today. Please support this very worthy cause. Thank you.
(See: http://www.wdcs.org.uk/gibraltar_swimmers.php)

BACKGROUND
Gibraltar swimmers
Adam and Chris’ swim certainly seems like the toughest challenge that anyone has undertaken for WDCS. Both have already swum the English Channel but they are now in training to swim the Straits of Gibraltar from Tarifa in Spain, to Tangier in Morocco… and back again! No British person has ever swum there and back before now and when they enter the water sometime between the 27th June and 5th July 2011 (tide depending), they will face some hair-raising obstacles.

The reason this swim has such a fearsome reputation is mainly due to the very strong tides that Adam and Chris will face; far stronger than the English Channel crossing. The stark reality is that they will have to swim quickly across one way (around a steady 3mph) to stand any chance of making it back! They will have to maintain this constant speed for around 14 hours.

As if that wasn’t tough enough, there are also other dangers. The temperature of the water will be as low as 14 degrees and so hypothermia is a distinct possibility. In addition the water is very choppy making sea sickness whilst swimming a factor, and the boat traffic in the area makes it one of the busiest seaways in the world. They will attempt to swim in hat and trunks (not wet suits) the total distance is 24 miles, which is several miles longer than the Channel swim to France.

“We will be swimming in waters inhabited by as many as seven different types of whale, the aim being to reach out to people and highlight the massive issue of commercial whaling,” says Adam.

“We wanted to test ourselves physically and mentally to the limit in order to raise money for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, as they work tirelessly to bring an end to commercial whale hunts in places like Iceland and Norway. These hunts are cruel, go against international agreements and are unnecessary – the meat is largely frozen and stored as it is not popular anymore.

“Their work and research makes a huge difference to the conservation and preservation of the whale population and every penny donated will provide us with all the motivation we need to take on this daunting challenge!”

WDCS is humbled by their efforts to raise money to help with our anti whaling campaign, and we hope the preparation goes…swimmingly. More updates from Chris and Adam will follow.
Sponsor Chris and Adam at http://www.justgiving.com/Swim4Whales

See article in spanish issued by CEPSA this week June 2011

CEPSA PRESS RELEASE 29th June 2011

Las inversiones medioambientales del Grupo CEPSA se elevaron a 16,5 millones de euros en 2010

La inversión acumulada en los tres últimos ejercicios asciende a 46,5 millones de euros.

Los tres complejos industriales del grupo superaron el 80% de los objetivos medioambientales programados.

Continúa la disminución permanente de emisiones, que en el caso del SO2 se ha reducido un 79% desde 1998.

Los tres centros de producción mantuvieron todos sus parámetros de impacto ambiental por debajo de los límites legales autorizados.

Las inversiones medioambientales de los tres complejos industriales del Grupo CEPSA en el Campo de Gibraltar superaron los 16,5 millones de euros, en 2010. Esta cifra, acumulada a las de los últimos tres años, se eleva a 46,5 millones de euros. Con esto, se refleja el esfuerzo permanente por la reducción del impacto en el entorno, que se traduce en resultados muy positivos en todos los parámetros, especialmente en el descenso de las emisiones y la mejora de la calidad de los vertidos.

Estos datos se han hecho públicos esta mañana en la presentación de las Declaraciones Medioambientales de Refinería “Gibraltar-San Roque”, CEPSA Química Guadarranque y CEPSA Química Puente Mayorga. Los responsables de Protección Ambiental de las tres instalaciones han comparecido por primera vez juntos para dar a conocer los detalles del comportamiento medioambiental de las instalaciones. De este modo CEPSA quiere transmitir la relevancia que otorga a esta importante faceta de su actividad, que constituye una prioridad para cada una de las compañías y centros de producción del Grupo.

Pese a que cada Declaración recoge exclusivamente los datos relativos a cada uno de los centros por separado, pueden extraerse varias conclusiones generales que son compartidas por los tres:
– El cumplimiento riguroso de los límites establecidos en las respectivas Autorizaciones Ambientales Integradas, concedidas por la Junta de Andalucía.
– La permanente reducción de las emisiones atmosféricas.
– Los logros en el campo de la eficiencia energética.

Todo ello cobra más importancia si se tiene en cuenta que cada año los límites son más rigurosos y, especialmente, que en 2010 se registraron repuntes en la producción, lo que dificulta la reducción en algunos parámetros en relación con la menor actividad del ejercicio precedente.

El sistema de Gestión Medioambiental de cada centro establece anualmente objetivos como base del proceso de mejora continua. El grado de cumplimiento de objetivos al cierre de 2010 superó en las tres instalaciones el 80 por ciento, resultado muy positivo si se tiene en cuenta que muchos de los objetivos tienen carácter plurianual y por tanto continúan implementándose en 2011.

Principales resultados

Emisiones.- La Refinería redujo la emisión de dióxido de azufre (SO2) en más de 1.300 toneladas en relación a 2009, situándose en un total de 6.373 toneladas/año. Si se compara este dato con el de 1998 puede apreciarse que en la actualidad y pese a al crecimiento de las instalaciones, las emisiones de la Refinería son la quinta parte de las 29.985 toneladas/año que se producían hace 12 años.

En conjunto, las emisiones de SO2 de los tres complejos de Cepsa se han reducido un 79 por ciento en relación con el año de referencia de 1998.

Por lo que se refiere a las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero todos los centros de producción finalizaron el ejercicio con superávit; concretamente emitieron 405.308 toneladas menos de dióxido de carbono (CO2) que las que les correspondían en el Plan Nacional de Asignación de Emisiones.

Por último, cabe destacar el buen resultado del programa de detección y reparación de fugas denominado LDAR, para la reducción de emisiones de compuestos orgánicos volátiles (COV). Este programa supone un claro ejemplo de aplicación de las mejores tecnologías disponibles para el comportamiento medioambiental de instalaciones industriales. La campaña, que paulatinamente se va implantando en todas las plantas, tanto de la Refinería como de Cepsa Química, se ha cerrado en 2010 con mediciones en 27.000 puntos y una reducción media del 75 por ciento de emisiones.

Vertidos.- Los efluentes procedentes de los procesos industriales y las aguas de lluvia se someten a tratamiento tanto biológico como físico-químico en las plantas de tratamiento de aguas residuales de CEPSA. De esta forma, se busca que cumplan los condicionantes contemplados en la Autorización Ambiental Integrada y que puedan enviarse, una vez depuradas, al punto de vertido autorizado.

En cuanto al volumen de vertido, se incrementó ligeramente en el año 2010 como consecuencia, básicamente, de la elevada pluviometría. En cuanto a la calidad, la presencia de los compuestos sometidos a control ha estado siempre por debajo de los límites autorizados, salvo pequeñas excepciones sin incidencia reseñable. Desde 2005 la mejora de la calidad en los vertidos ha sido de un 30 por ciento.

Eficiencia energética.- En la evaluación del desempeño ambiental de las instalaciones cobra cada vez más relevancia la eficiencia energética, tanto en lo que se refiere a un uso adecuado de los recursos energéticos como a la racionalidad del consumo y al empleo de fuentes cada vez más limpias.

Los indicadores reflejados en las tres declaraciones medioambientales señalan una mejora progresiva de los índices de eficiencia, que se obtienen midiendo el consumo necesario por cada tonelada producida. Por otra parte, los consumos totales de energía se han reducido considerablemente en Puente Mayorga y Guadarranque gracias al uso de gas natural. En la Refinería se mantienen ya que la incorporación de gas natural se está desarrollando progresivamente.

Residuos.- En lo referente a la gestión de residuos se ha conseguido una reducción media superior al 50% en el 2010. Los aspectos ambientales más significativos han sido la tierra, la basura y los lodos.

Inversiones
Los resultados detallados en el apartado anterior, que reflejan una mejora permanente en los principales parámetros de medida del comportamiento ambiental no podrían alcanzarse sin un esfuerzo inversor que permita la aplicación de las mejores tecnologías disponibles.

En este sentido, las inversiones estrictamente dedicadas a mejoras medioambientales, en 2010, en los tres complejos industriales de CEPSA, ascendieron a 16,5 millones de euros. De esta cifra las partidas más importantes se destinaron a proyectos de ahorro energético y a la construcción de una planta de Cogeneración en Lubrisur.

En los tres últimos ejercicios las inversiones medioambientales acumulan 46,5 millones de euros, lo que muestra una línea constante que se mantiene desde hace años y que tendrá continuidad tal como se contempla en el presupuesto para 2011.

Junto a las inversiones, otra partida significativa es la correspondiente a los costes medioambientales derivados de la operación y mantenimiento de todas las infraestructuras relacionadas con el desempeño medioambiental. En 2010 se elevaron a más de 25 millones de euros.

Otras actuaciones
Las declaraciones medioambientales contienen información detallada de otros muchos aspectos, como el control de los ruidos, de los suelos, consumos de agua y materias primas, etc. Todos ellos están directamente relacionados con el comportamiento de las instalaciones. Pero además se llevan a cabo otras actuaciones indirectas que se traducen en una mejora ambiental. El caso más significativo es la progresiva reducción de azufre en los combustibles y de otros componentes en los productos que se elaboran, de modo que al ser consumidos su impacto en el entorno sea menor.

La política de medioambiental de CEPSA no se limita al cumplimiento estricto de la normativa vigente, sino que contempla cuestiones como la formación ambiental -tanto de las plantillas propias como de las empresas auxiliares- o la comunicación a la sociedad, con el denominador común de la concienciación ambiental. En esta línea, cabe destacar el proyecto “Urbanart”, desarrollado en el 2010. Una iniciativa cívico-artística, para la educación y el fomento de valores entre los jóvenes, con la que se mejoró el aspecto exterior de la Refinería. Del mismo modo, CEPSA realiza actuaciones de recuperación ambiental y fomento de la biodiversidad en el entorno, como el programa de puesta en valor del humedal asociado al arroyo Madrevieja, ubicado en una parcela situada entre las instalaciones de Guadarranque y la Refinería.

San Roque, 28 de junio de 2011

CEPSA – Refinería “Gibraltar-San Roque” – Dpto. de Comunicación
comunicacion.sanroque@cepsa.com / Tel.: 956 023 000 / www.cepsa.com

ESG ON CEPSA INVESTING IN ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY

The ESG has learnt through the Gibraltar Chronicle that CEPSA, San Roque, is once again advertising the fact that it is investing heavily in environmental protection measures to actively reduce the volume of pollution produced by the plant.

The group considers the news as a “reverse admission” of heavy pollution inflicted upon communities and the environment over a lengthy period, which is never admitted to, at any one time. Instead we hear of pollution levels being reduced – SUBSTANTIALLY – thereby admitting levels were high to begin with.

For the ESG, campaigning on pollution issues for the past ten years, any measures to improve this deplorable situation is of course welcomed. The fact that the Refinery admits fugitive fumes and leaks for example is a victory for our Bay Bucket Brigade Campaign which fought hard to inform communities about this serious problem. Urgent attention to this very real threat to health is necessary.
One wonders, however, if CEPSA, under its new owners, will permit the ESG and our Bay Bucket Brigade colleagues to take air samples inside and outside the plant to establish beyond doubt that the pollution present NOW is not poisoning people and the environment – this impact has been ongoing for years affecting people’s health and contributing towards disease and mortality levels as well as degrading the Bay’s ecosystem much of which will never recover.

Only when independent verification carried out by affected community members such as the Bucket Brigade is allowed, can we begin to accept that environmental safety is a priority for the huge Corporate Industry that CEPSA represents.

Click on link below for an article interviewing Fukushima nuclear expert giving a somewhat “fuller” account of what is happening at the Fukushima plant and what will continue to happen because of it for many years to come. Usual news channels are not reporting this information- perhaps due to vested interests and major lobbying groups such as the nuclear industry itself. Whatever the reasons and however difficult it may be to read news of this type, it is very important that as many people read the truth about what is happening and forward the article on.

The time for major investment in renewable energy is NOW. It can provide much needed jobs, promote community stability and secure a cleaner and healthier environment for our future-

The alternatives of nuclear as the energy of choice to meet todays “business as usual” demand could lead to more nuclear hotspots around the world such as 3 mile island, Chernobyl and now Fukushima.
This is an immoral choice that we have no right to make.

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/06/201161664828302638.html

ESG Congratulates Sir Graham Watson

“The ESG would like to acknowledge and congratulate Sir Graham Watson for his recent Knighthood which, in the groups view, is entirely deserved.

While having earned this award via his efforts in European law unrelated to the environment, our own experience of Sir Graham is that he is very dedicated to his constituents as well as deeply involved in environmental issues in general. His hard working approach and recently awarded accolade reminds us that Gibraltar is very lucky to have him fighting our corner in Brussels.

We wish Sir Graham well in this recognition by the Queen.”

ESG Press Release on Algeciras Capsized Vessel
16th June 2011

The ESG is aware of the maritime incident which took place a few days ago in the Port of Algeciras when a large vessel overturned dumping several containers with assorted contents into the sea.
While the accident was not explosive in nature, this is still a very serious incident especially as it remains unclear as to the exact contents of the goods in the containers which, if toxic, could escalate the impact of the incident to the environment. There are already reports of oil patches washing up along the shoreline.

The ESG urges the Gibraltar Government to make official enquiries to the Spanish Government into this accident and trust that we shall be informed as soon as possible of the precise details as far as these are known. Our own contacts with experience in port matters suggest that regardless of contents in containers, while this is important to ascertain, all vessels carry a certain amount of corrosive and chemical product on board, as well as fuel and paints etc. These would cause serious harm when released into the marine environment.

This is yet another example of the impacts affecting the Bays ecosystem from industrial activity in the area. Indeed a Greenpeace report found at:-
http://www.greenpeace.org/espana/Global/espana/report/contaminacion/contaminaci-n-en-espa-a.pdf confirms the Bay’s seabed is heavily contaminated from regular accidents as well as industrial discharge. The sum total of this ongoing pollution, according to the Greenpeace report, suggests the bay’s seabed reflects pollution equivalent to a major accident such are the levels of chemicals present.

Please click on following link for information on pollution in Spain which includes a section on the Bay and impacts from chronic discharges to the marine environment from industry and shipping activity:-

http://www.greenpeace.org/espana/Global/espana/report/contaminacion/contaminaci-n-en-espa-a.pdf

Joint statement by ESG, Beach Users and Canoeists
10th June 2011

The ESG, Beach Users and Canoeists have today issued a joint reaction to Govts statement on the decision to re-open Western Beach this weekend. We met with Minister Britto and his technical team today and presented our many concerns which were heard and discussed at length. While Government is clearly stepping up its monitoring and management of public use of Western Beach, which is very welcome, we continue to believe that its opening is premature.

“We remain concerned that the dreadful sewage pollution which has affected Western Beach for the past 10 months or so, could return, albeit at a lower level, but unpredictably and therefore continues to present a public health risk.”

Specifically:

a) The unpredictability of the water quality
b) The time lag between testing and available data
c) The public health threat posed by erratic dumping of sewage and lack of local control
d) The difficulty of preventing bathing during high levels of sewage pollution could lead to possibility of people contracting infections from contaminated water
e) The gap between guide and mandatory levels of sewage allowed to be legally present under EU law before banning bathing is huge and that we could well fall just under mandatory levels and be exposed to high amounts of sewage contamination
f) The current ban on bathing if sewage levels are a problem would still allow the beach to be used making bathing almost inevitable on very hot long summer days, in spite of the ban in place
g) Health information risks to the public and especially to parents of young children should be clearly displayed at the beach near the colour coded board
h) All efforts should be applied to identify as close to an “on the spot tester” to determine the water quality at any given time
i) Showers should be installed at the Beach (or just outside it)- to facilitate rinsing off sea water
j) By using the beach the La Linea Ayuntamiento could slow down any permanent solutions to solving its sewage crisis
k) Brussels efforts to press for such a permanent solution could be weakened by the re-opening the beach
l) Gibraltar should make progress with its sewage treatment plant as should all Bay towns as further underlined by the worsening state of the bathing water quality around Gibraltar and nearby coastline in 2010/2011

Today’s radio broadcast will revisit local issues affecting our environment.

To begin with, we couldn’t start off with anything other than the horrific fire at the Port over a week ago which raised many questions and caused immediate and longer lasting environmental problems.
You may be interested to know that the ESG has fielded and followed up many complaints from residents near the port who have suffered noxious smells off and on for some years now. Obviously there are numerous potential sources of air pollution in this area but the sullage plant has been identified as responsible on various occasions. While some efforts have been made by those responsible to address these problems, the reality is that fumes have continued to occur ending, very shockingly, with a massive accident which has shaken the industry and authorities to the core. Let’s not forget the frightening injuries suffered by a worker and his colleagues.

At an immediate level, and as we have said before, the injured and emergency services were of most concern- residents in the area were also clearly affected by the persistent blaze and noxious clouds, but even this could have been far, worse had the wind changed direction and smoke dropped to street level. The entire community, it is also safe to say, were shaken by this incident and many no doubt became aware for the first time, of such industrial practices in Gibraltar.

Question is…have lessons being learnt? When one reads that planning permission had already been awarded to this sullage plant to almost double its capacity- news that frankly would have been unbelievable to residents already suffering the impacts of fumes from such industry – one wonders if we, in Gibraltar are ever going to join the dots and manage our environment more holistically….? Important? Surely, look at the proximity of the liners to the tanks site……

Just yesterday evening the ESG presented a petition directly to the Chief Minister, which incidentally is also available online, to coincide with an environmental protest by our colleagues in Algeciras who were drawing attention to the oil spills on their shores which hadn’t rec’d due attention from their authorities. This lingering pollution and smells of oil and other waste material affecting our harbour waters long after the fire went out, is a stark reminder of how dirty oil pollution is. The fumes are also harmful to inhale and we have been receiving regular complaints from frontline residents.
We do understand, of course, that the fire was an accident, and that all efforts are now being made to clean up and to establish the steps that caused the accident in the first place to ensure this is not repeated again. Fine, this can apply to this particular plant and situation. But as long we have a growing fuel economy surrounding our homes, schools and hospitals, we are running similar risks of accidents with major repercussions.

This is why in our petition to Government yesterday we urged them to look at this oil incident as a symptom of poorly regulated and often conflicting activity which presents risks to the population and causes environmental degradation.
It’s been a stark warning and one that we should all take heed of.
Thanks for listening.

 
Pictures courtesy of Jim Watt.
 

PETITION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER   –   GIBRALTAR GOVERNMENT

                                                                                                8^th June 2011

 WASTE OIL TREATMENT PLANT ABLAZE

 The Environmental Safety Group today submits a petition to the Chief Minister to present legitimate environmental and public health concerns resulting from the accident which took place at the Western Arm last week at the site of the Waste Oil Treatment Plant.

Today, also at 6.30pm, environmental group, AGADEN, is holding a protest in Algeciras calling upon all politicians to address and prevent the ongoing problem of oil pollution in the Bay.

Our petition wishes to highlights the following:-

●While our immediate thoughts at the time of the accident were with the injured parties and our frontline emergency services, we, along with many others,  were also extremely worried about the danger posed by the persistent raging and toxic fire to the community;

●ESG believes that if Gibraltar engages in high risk business such as ship to ship bunkering and waste oil processing, that it needs to step up investment in emergency response and environmental monitoring equipment – ensure best available technology is applied and the precautionary principle adhered to;

●We believe that the oil industry is incompatible with the tourist industry in Gibraltar due to our very small size and our inability to have these located at safe distances away from residential areas/schools/hospital/ships/aircraft/etc.;

●Despite the Plants relocation from Waterport Road, its activity has regularly affected air quality in the area and people’s quality of life;

●That far from recognising or containing the risk to environment and public safety  by this type of plant, we learn in today’s Chronicle that planning permission had been obtained by the company concerned to practically double its capacity to process waste oil material from outside of Gibraltar;

● A few years ago and soon after the Sort Plant as it was known then  had relocated to the Western Arm, the ESG were asked to take air samples in the area to determine the smells near the plant. The results as validated by an accredited laboratory revealed several chemicals present which, once identified, led to some modifications to the plant;

●In the past few weeks an increase in fumes pervading nearby residential areas had resulted in our corresponding with the Port and Environmental Agency with the ESG being told the origin of much of the smells in that zone were emanating from the waste oil treatment plant. We requested permission to visit the plant with Environmental Agency but this was not deemed possible.  A few days later, the explosion occurred.

 ●That an accident of this proportion needed to take place before our Government addresses any shortcoming of protocols or viability of locating such dirty industries, such as waste oil processing, so close to luxury liners and more importantly, to thousands of local residents, is highly regrettable;

●This accident vindicates many of the ESG’s concerns (as highlighted in our Wish list) which indicates the risks posed by oil related activities in Gibraltar which threaten our safety and the living environment;

●The clean up operation and oil spills now affecting the Bay are stark reminders of how oil pollution is a long term problem with lasting impacts on the marine environment and human  populations well beyond the time of any incident;

●That a cross border agreement as put forward under the Tripartite Dialogue to specifically address environmental and health issues of major proportions be progressed outside of sovereignty implications;

●We strongly welcome the statement issued by you/Govt last week that this serious incident has given you an opportunity of rethinking existing practices of processing waste oil material in Gibraltar and location and practice of other oil related activity. The ESG is in full support of this position.

This petition is therefore intended to send a strong message to the Gibraltar Government that the ESG in campaigning for a clean and healthy environment sees this oil accident as a symptom of poorly controlled and conflicting activity in Gibraltar. We urge Government to evaluate the true benefits of the oil industry to the Gibraltar community, risks to the population and environmental degradation.

                                                Henry Pinna                                                      Janet Howitt

——————————————————————————– ————————–

    Signed on behalf of the Environmental Safety Group on this day:  8^th June 2011