ECOLOGY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
A Plan of Measures was actioned by the port in order to position itself as a socially and environmentally responsible company. The Plan presents a proposal of the measures and activities that need to be undertaken, all with the aim of better quality of business and better perception of the public as well as legislative bodies, and the desire the port has to be a leader of socially and environmentally responsible business operations in the city and the region.
Specific measures in the department for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development is broken up into three categories :
- air quality
- water and sea protection
- waste management
Coal dust which is drifting into the surrounding area was a major problem in air quality evaluation, but this problem is largely solved by purchasing the product “RT5 superskin”, which is used by many international ports. A special fire tank with specialized technical characteristics for dispersing and suppressing of coal was also provided.
Given that dusting and transfer of particulates can also occur while driving on the roads, the port has a brush for rough surface cleaning, which is mounted on a port vehicle for its application. In the future, there are plans to purchase a municipal road cleaning vehicle for the detailed cleaning of surfaces.
The ultimate dust reduction solution is the new bulk cargo terminal that is currently in test phase. The new terminal is located on a sloping terrain along the Vlaška canal, the most remote from the populated town, which almost completely eliminates the possibility of effecting the town´s community when the conditions of strong and unfavorable winds are extreme. The terminal is planning to set a traction shear system with a closed tip, within which the built-in spraying system will automatically activate to prevent release of dispersed particles from the cargo, and more convenient storage of coal will be provided, which will be arranged on multiple larger surfaces than previously. This will fulfill the highest environmental standards in handling and storing bulk cargo. The new terminal infrastructure will completely eliminate all the limitations for maximum effectiveness of modern polymer protection currently being used.
In the town and Port of Ploče there are nine measuring stations that record the quality of the air.
In 2013, the Port Authority commissioned an air test from these metering stations, and other reports were ordered by the Town Authority.
Businesses that produce large amounts of waste have a duty to the company and the environment to take care of all the waste generated during the process – recycle it or use it in another way.
By signing the contract for the collection of non-hazardous and inert waste generated in the process of production processes in the Port of Ploče, the waste management process has fully met all environmental and legal standards.
For the waste that can be recycled, the bidders will set up their waste collection tanks in Ploče and collect the waste from the Port of Ploče as a secondary raw material, while complying with legal norms.
In order to protect the water and the sea, within the Port of Ploče group, Pomorski Servis deals with, amongst other things, emergency measures and remediation in case of pollution of the sea. It has an eco-boat, equipped and specialized for emergency interventions in case of sea pollution, and is part of the County Guard for the Protection of the Sea in the event of sudden pollution.
In addition, in cooperation with the Port Authority of Ploče, all the waste water discharges for systematic drainage systems incorporate separators that guarantee additional security against water and sea pollution.
Unfortunately, what has not yet been solved is the system of purification of rainwater and sewerage in the entire town of Ploče. Luka Ploče d.d. is ready to engage in the realization of this project as soon as it is initiated by the city administration.