The CLH Group has invested over 33 million euros in environmental projects over the last three years
- The actions implemented comprise areas such as biodiversity protection, energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions
The CLH Group invested over 33 million euros in environmental projects in the 2013-2015 period, with the purpose of reinforcing the sustainability of its activities and using resources, technologies and processes in a more efficient and environmentally-friendly manner.
As part of its biodiversity protection policy, the company has collaborated with the association for the study and defence of nature GREFA (Rehabilitation Group for Native Fauna and its Habitat) for four years now to determine the integration of its pipeline network in areas with particular environmental value.
Last year the company completed nine environmental assessments in protected natural areas located in five different Spanish regions (Andalusia, Basque Country, La Rioja, Galicia and Navarra), which confirmed the sustainability of the pipelines and their zero impact on surrounding wildlife. Since the birth of the project, CLH has carried out studies on over 180 kilometres of protected natural areas, which represents over 91% of the areas identified, and the company plans to complete the analysis of the remaining sections this year.
The company has also cooperated with GREFA in other actions aimed at biodiversity protection, such as the reintroduction of lesser kestrel chicks to the Southeast regional park (Madrid) and a project for the study and protection of the black vulture in the Alcudia Valley and Sierra Madrona Natural Park.
CLH has renewed its ISO 14001 certification for its Environmental Management System and is continuing to work on certifying its facilities according to the demanding EMAS environmental standards. In 2015, the company obtained this distinction for the facilities in Girona and at Malaga airport, in addition to renewing the certifications for the centres in Huelva, Tarragona, Santurce (Vizcaya) and Bilbao airport.
Furthermore, the CLH Group has approved a new biodiversity policy, thus committing to continue respecting the biological diversity of the areas where it is located through good environmental practices and through participation in Research and Development programmes or active cooperation with its stakeholders.
Along these lines, the company has also published a new Energy Efficiency Policy to strengthen its commitment to saving energy and reducing emissions. In order to achieve this objective, the company has continued to carry out energy efficiency studies and promote different actions within its modernisation plans, which have made it possible to implement more modern and efficient equipment for transporting fuel through the pipeline and to improve light efficiency in the facilities.
The company has again verified and calculated the carbon footprint resulting from its activities, which enables it to identify, design and implement initiatives for reducing greenhouse gases.
These initiatives are supplemented with the different environmental recovery projects on the land previously occupied by the CLH Group for its activities. Among the latest initiatives in this area, the company has begun subsoil rehabilitation work at the former Burgos facility and completed the environmental characterisation work at the former facility of Salamanca.
In this area, CLH is also carrying out an ambitious innovation project focused on finding new biological techniques for cleaning water and soil affected by oil products. This initiative has been qualified and approved by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI).
Moreover, the company continues participating in two of the main international projects with the purpose of studying the implementation of biofuel in commercial aviation: NARA, promoted by the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Agriculture of the USA; and ITAKA, supported by the European Commission.