At Bilbaína de Alquitranes, S.A. we have made a conscientious effort to create policies in our strategic plan to further improve the environment within the global Basque strategic plan for sustainable development.
In 2003 we voluntarily signed an agreement with the Basque Government’s Department of Land Management and Environmental Protection)
Obtuvimos la Autorización Ambiental Integrada en Abril de 2008, superando satisfactoriamente todas las visitas de inspección realizadas por el Gobierno Vasco desde esta fecha. Since then the collaboration and communication with the Basque Government have been continuous, assuming commitments which have led to significant environmental improvements in accordance with European standards of integrated prevention and control (IPPC) Directive 96/61/EC. We obtained the Integrated Environmental permit in April of 2008, after which we have satisfactorily passed all the inspections carried out by the Basque Government from that date on.
The managemet of Bilbaina de Alquitranes, fully aware of the need for sustainable development in harmony with the environment, has implemented within their environmental policy and continuous improvement in the pursuit of excellence, not only annual targets for environmental improvements, but has also invested over 20 billion in improvements to their facilities in order to reduce their environmental impact as well as improve the technology used in the production plants, all built with the best available technology and environmentally friendly
Waste water
The waste water coming from the manufacturing process have been treated since 1994 in the industrial waste water treatment plant and then deliver to the municipal waste treatment.
Furthermore, because of our heightened awareness of the environment, and in compliance with the above mentioned voluntary agreement that we signed with the Basque government, the company installed, in 2007, a water treatment plant that collects rain water from the factory surface areas. This water, after being treated, is also fed into the general water collection tank and the sewage to the Waterworks Consortium.
Bilbaína de Alquitranes, S.A. sends all of its waste water (industrial, rain and sanitary) to the Bilbao Waterworks Consortium, and not be emitted any discharge into public waterways.
Atmospheric Emissions
In relation to emissions and our policies on improving the environment, from 2003 until 2005, proceeded to capture all gas vents not only on the storage tanks but also the production tanks and equipment., unifying them all in a collection tank of gas, through a system of "piping" and adequacy of the tanks to the new working conditions (nitrogen blanketing, installation of safety valves and control, etc..).
Gas vent collection system on the storage tanks
Moreover, the loading and unloading of the trucks has a gas collection loading system that safeguards from any type of emission or environmental impact during the process.
Loading arms
Finally, after the process of collection and capture of all the gases from the factory is carried out, they are sent for end of the line treatment at the thermal treatment plant.
This plant was built in 2007 according to the European Union guidelines, using the best technology available (BAT) on the market at the time, which guarantees adequate emission levels according to both the European and local regulations as well as a purification efficiency of over 99.9%.
Thermal treatment plant
In addition, Bilbaina de Alquitranes, S.A., as a show of transparency in their environmental affairs and to guarantee the quality and control of their emissions, has continuous emission measuring equipment installed that measures the Total Organic Carbon (TOC) emissions from the chimney. This equipment also has a real time connection to the Basque government’s environmental air control and quality network.
Continuous measurement equipment and a gas sample collector
Waste
Waste management is carried out according to current legislative standards. All of the residues are collected by authorized managers who put valorization above other alternatives.
Noise
Bilbaina de Alquitranes, S.A., in their awareness that noise is also another possible factor of their impact on the environment, has had noise maps made by an organization that has been certified by the Entidad Nacional de Acreditación (ENAC for its acronym in Spanish) (National Accreditation Organization) for their knowledge of noise pollution assessment. Our company has c omplied with the technical steps that must be taken to control noise according to the Basque government and complying with the both the day-time and night-time noise limits that are defined by the Integrated Environmental Authorization.
Bilbaína de Alquitranes, S.A. © 2013
