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Updated Friday,2June2023-11:50

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This year, WED focuses on the need to combat plastic pollution, which harms both human health and the environment and causes, for example, the degradation of terrestrial and marine ecosystems and the loss of biodiversity.

According to the latest data from the United Nations, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide every year, half of which is designed for a single-use lifespan. Less than 10% is recycled and it is estimated that between 19 and 23 million tons of plastic waste end up each year in lakes, rivers and seas. Thus, more than 800 marine and coastal species are affected by this pollution by ingestion, entanglement and other hazards.

Artificial wetlands for purification of Begudà, in the natural park of La Garrotxa (Girona).

For these reasons, mobilizing transformative environmental action is paramount. And, for this, it is essential to take advantage of scientific advances and technological innovations and involving all actors (administrations, private sector, citizens, etc.), each from its field.

Veolia, a key player in the preservation of the environment

As a global benchmark for ecological transformation, Veolia offers management solutions in water, waste and energy activities, driving the sustainable development of cities, industries and agriculture. And Agbar, integrated into Veolia since 2022 as a water knowledge hub, reinforces the group's activity, with integral management services of the integral water cycle and preservation of the environment. In Spain, the group serves 13 million people in more than 1,200 municipalities.

Within the framework of the group's strategy in the fight against climate change, Agbar develops innovative solutions for the preservation of water and natural resources, especially in the current context of drought. It also favors the restoration of ecosystems through the adoption of nature-based solutions, inspired by the functioning of ecosystems that preserve biodiversity. All this, while contributing to the adaptation of the effects of climate change in a more sustainable way, generating multiple benefits that come from nature. The company also contributes to the creation of green infrastructures.

El Recorral Park in Rojales (Alicante).

  • An example of all this is found in the park El Recorral in Rojales (Alicante). There, Hidraqua, part of the group, has opted for nature-based solutions, creating an artificial wetland with reclaimed water, which, in turn, avoids discharges into the environment in episodes of torrential rains. In collaboration with the local council, the company has built naturalized artificial lagoons in the park of El Recorral, which has become a wetland rich in biodiversity. Among other actions to preserve the native flora and fauna, in collaboration with the Faunatura Association, Hidraqua has installed different nest boxes, both for birds and bats, with the aim of increasing the number of insectivores that help control pests, particularly processionary and mosquitoes, within the search for solutions to avoid the use of pesticides and contribute to the increase of the biodiversity of the park.
  • Another case to highlight is found in Sant Joan les Fonts, in Girona. There, Agbar, together with the county council of La Garrotxa and the town hall, has carried out an environmental restoration project of the artificial purification wetlands, which are part of the Begudà treatment plant and which favor the biodiversity of the Garrotxa natural park. Among the actions carried out, with the aim of improving the ecological quality of the ecosystems and the life of the aquatic species of the Turonell River, the sediments have been removed in three interconnected ponds. In addition, ruderal vegetation has been reduced, that is, those plants that are characterized, especially, by their ability to develop in very unfavorable places at the botanical level; invasive species have been eliminated; native riparian and aquatic vegetation has been enhanced and incorporated; a barren area has been restored to transform it into a meadow of wild flowers, typical of La Garrotxa, to favor insects and pollinators; and structures have been installed that enhance wildlife refuges for bats, amphibians and pollinators.

On the other hand, the group is moving towards the paradigm of the circular economy, with 0 waste solutions. Proof of this is the transformation of its old traditional treatment plants into ecofactories, a model that is based on the digitalization and implementation of cutting-edge technology. These regeneratewater for new uses, such as agricultural irrigation or street cleaning, among others; they recover waste to produce new resources, such as sewage sludge, which is recovered as fertiliser in agriculture; and produce renewable energies, generating a positive impact on their environment.

The revaluation of waste contributes to combating pollution.

Regarding its waste activity, Veolia offers a range of integrated services for the management of all types of waste: solid, liquid, hazardous, etc. It thus promotes the circular economy through the collection, recycling and revaluation of waste as materials or energy. These solutions are part of the group's global commitment to help its customers drive decarbonization, reducing the environmental footprint, regenerating resources and improving people's quality of life, in line with its purpose of accelerating ecological transformation to reconcile human progress and environmental protection.

In the case of plastic waste, the group has two recycling plants in Spain: Red by Veolia, located in Alcalá de Guadaira, in Seville; and TorrePET by Veolia, located in Torremejía, in Badajoz. Through them, it offers integral plastic recycling solutions to be able to give it a second life by converting it, again, into secondary raw material to manufacture new packaging and thus combat the plastic pollution of our planet.

  • Red by Veolia is dedicated to the recycling of industrial, post-consumer and agricultural plastics. With extensive experience in the national and international market, it is capable of treating 120,000 tons of plastic waste per year.
  • The TorrePET by Veolia plant is a national benchmark in the field of PET plastic recycling, one of the most widely used in the consumer industry and, more specifically, in the food industry. The plant is capable of handling more than 60,000 tons of plastic waste per year and 30,000 tons of food-grade recycled PET pellets for bottles. TorrePET by Veolia has its own R+D development and advanced technology, which has allowed it to be at the forefront of PET recycling.

Finally, as part of its commitment to caring for the planet, the Veolia group promotes environmental awareness initiatives through exhibitions, workshops and cleaning and waste collection activities on beaches, among others. And they are aimed at both their workers and citizens.

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