KN invests in environmental protection measures
KN (AB “Klaipėdos nafta”) says it has submitted to environmental authorities and Klaipėda City communities the Plan of Environmental Measures, which provides for the measures and commitment to further perform sustainable activities and ensure the highest level of environmental standards. KN investments into the environmental field are expected to reach EUR 8 million by the end of 2021.
Part of the measures specified in the plan are currently being implemented, and the other part is closely related to the developments in the company.
“We hear the comments of communities’ representatives related to environmental protection, therefore, we listen to their comments and pay further exceptional attention to the field. We constantly seek for effective solutions aimed at air quality improvement, and in the drafted Plan of Environmental Measures we commit not only to invest into the current infrastructure, but also to ensure adherence to the highest standards in the implementation of the company’s development,” Mindaugas Jusius, KN CEO said.
The Plan of Environmental Measures drafted by KN specialists provides for modernisation of the two most powerful boiler burners of the boiler house of the terminal and for equipment of volatile organic compounds (VOC) vapour collection and cleaning machinery. VOC vapour will be collected from heavy oil product storage tank park as well as from currently developed light oil product storage tank park. The collected vapours will be cleaned in VOC vapour cleaning devices. The planned modernisation of the oil terminal quays will also involve double enhancement of the VOC vapour combustion equipment.
The Institute for Environmental Research and Planning has evaluated the plan drafted by KN specialists and has drafted the VOC and vapour dispersion schemes. According to this plan and the dispersion schemes it is expected that the implementation of the measures provided for in the plan will decrease the VOC concentration in the territories neighbouring the company by nearly 36%, and the vapour concentration by 50%, i.e. from 1 European odour unit, which is sometimes recorded, to 0.5–0.3 unit.
The implementation of the Plan of Environmental Measures is closely related to the pace of the public procurement procedures and the implementation of KN development. It is planned that the measures specified in the plan will be implemented by the end of 2021 and KN investments into the field of environmental protection will reach EUR 8 million.
The Plan of Environmental Measures drafted by KN was also presented to the heads of the Klaipėda City, who positively evaluate the company’s aspirations.
“All companies, the activities of which may cause inconveniences to residents, must be seriously concerned with investment into measures, which can help control pollution and vapours. The plan of environmental activities presented by “Klaipėdos nafta” is optimistic. The city aspires to create a sustainable business and residential neighbourhood, therefore, I hope that not only “Klaipėdos nafta”, but also other companies will demonstrate their goodwill in the matter,” Mayor of Klaipėda Vytautas Grubliauskas said.
In addition to preparation of environmental measures, in 2018, KN has organised meetings with communities’ representatives and presented current and planned environmental measures, established a special phone line to report on unpleasant odours, which may possibly originate from the oil terminal territory, and has constantly publicised the monitoring data of the impact on the air.
The monitoring has showed that in implementing its activities, the company does not exceed the level of the allowed pollution, and in May 2018, the National Public Health Surveillance Laboratory, drafted odour dispersion schemes based on the taken samples and established that the odour concentration in air in the residential and public territory neighbouring the company does not exceed the allowed threshold of the odour concentration.
