We would like to promote a brand new summer art workshop being held at the Sports Centre which is being held on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the Summer Sports Programme. This workshop is entirely focused on environmental themes and as such has the total support of the ESG under the CUTW Banner. Children of all ages are being invited to contact a young lady called Anna Maza on : 54024321 and email to register at: ania.maza@gmail.com .
The art produced at the workshop can help spread important messages about our environment and our responsiblity for looking after our planet. With the CUTW Parade and Exhibition taking place on September 17th in Main Street and at the John Mackintosh Square, it will provide another opportunity for the artwork produced by the youngsters at the summer workshop to be displayed and help raise awareness.
So, why not sign up your child to have a fun filled summer by joining Anna at her Kids at Art workshop making Green Art on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the next month or so.
ESG Radio Broadcast 7th July 2011
Hello,
Since our last broadcast several environmental developments have taken place so we’ll do our best to highlight those of particular interest:-
1) With summer upon us and most of us outdoors much of the time, our physical environment and its health, is never more apparent than at present. Therefore issues of sewage, pollution from power stations and bunkering, dust and rubble on our beaches, traffic and noise pollution come to the fore as we receive numerous calls from local residents wondering why we continue to suffer from these problems.
These problems are actually present all year round and is why the ESG fights its corner as we do to press for change. However as long as highly ranked politicians consider the environment to be a single issue matter, nothing radical is going to change. This is what we, as a community, must address.
2)The ESG is working hard and in discussion with all political parties pushing for action on these issues. Our comprehensive Wish List has been tabled with all parties and we hope is now adding to the discussions we are hearing in the hot house of political debate taking place this week. It does take considerable energy and political will to implement changes at the core of many of our decision making centres to redress the balance of progress and financial stability with improving our physical environment, and therefore quality of life. Projects like the new power station, sewage plant, and a long hard look at the impacts from bunkering and other oil related industry therefore critical.
3)Gibraltar continues to wait to hear results of the investigations into the tank fire – how long will this take the ESG asks? In the meantime we hear fragments of information here and there about future plans for the area surrounding the tanks site and hope that Govt will issue a full and detailed report of its thinking on this matter so that the public is informed before major decisions are taken.
The fire was a major incident and reflected poor decision making and poor regulation. The community deserves to know what Govt understands happened and how it is ensuring that accidents of this type will never recur. We are entitled to such information Under the Freedom of Access to Env Information and simply, because anything that happens in Gibraltar affects us all.
4) Another eyebrow raising moment was the recent announcement by CEPSA management of the investment it is making at its San Roque plant to radically lower pollution levels – pollution levels by the way, it has NEVER EVER admitted to produce in the first place.
These toxic emissions are carcinogenic and cause all manner of disease and one has to ask what compensation is morally owing to communities who continue to pay the price of this industry’s growing expansion and profits with their health and many, even, with their lives.
5) CUTW 2011 is now 10 weeks away! It’s official!! Today CUTW Australian Director Ian Kiernan sent a message to members throughout the world reminding us that it’s only through community involvement at a local level that global changes can be made. If local communities value a healthy environment and conserve its biodiversity exercising civic pride, then success is only a matter of time.
We therefore will invest considerable energy over the next two months to ensure Gibraltar benefits from this important campaign and hope to get your support too!
Plse contact us at on tel: 200-48996 or email us on: esg@gibtelecom.net . Donations also welcome. Thank you.
Gibraltar’s Insight Magazine will run CUTW related articles over the next two months with information and detailed analysis of the issues concerned so make sure you pick up a copy!
Education/Information/Facilities and Enforcement being key to a cleaner Gibraltar.
6) Some inspiring news for you is the length some of us will go to to protect natures incredible wildlife with the story of two regular blokes from the UK, Chris and Adam, who two days ago swam 26 miles non-stop across the Strait and back, to raise awareness globally of the need to stop illegal whale hunting and killing of dolphins through pollution and intensive fishing practices.
We hope you will be hearing directly from the swimmers themselves today whose motivation is to raise funds for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society that actively carry out invaluable work to conserve these magnificent creatures.
Please therefore, take a moment and go to: http://www.justgiving.com/Swim4Whales. Any donation, large or small will be gratefully rec’d recognising the mammoth effort made by these impressive individuals.
We leave now with our message to: Stay in touch, enjoy your summer and use the bins – and if you can’t find one, take it home!!
Chris and Adam, two brits who took on the awesome challenge of swimming the Strait and back in one go were successful and completed their marathon in just under ten hours!! Well done to you both!
The ESG wishes to congratulate these very brave individuals whose efforts to draw attention to the plight affecting whales and dolphins due to illegal hunting, capture and intensive fishing practices, should be applauded and certainly recognised by sending them a donation – whatever you can afford – to help their campaign.
Please send to:http://www.justgiving.com/Swim4Whales
We shall update you with news of how the campaign evolves.
ESG remains concerned about growing sewage pollution at East Side beaches
News today in the Spanish media that stretches of beach closest to Gibraltar on the East Side are being closed due to higher than acceptable levels of sewage should ring alarm bells locally.
The ESG urges the public and beach goers in particular to be extra vigilant regarding sewage pollution and to immediately notify the Life Guards as well as call the Environmental Agency to report the matter should such pollution be seen at sea.
The number to call is 200-70620.
We understand that Government is closely monitoring the situation.
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.
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.
“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.”
