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Upper layer of the earth's crust, located between the bedrock and the surface, and composed of mineral particles, organic matter, water, air and living organisms. It is the interface between earth, air and water, which makes it capable of performing both natural and usage functions.
Environmental Functionalities of the Soil
Soils are essential for the environmental health of the planet to fulfill essential differ not functions for the maintenance of the biosphere.
Soils and underground water control strategy in EDP Spain
Protection of soil and underground water is integrated into EDP Spain’s strategy of environmental protection, and it develops through structural and management actions.
For the monitoring and control of facilities with more risk of soil contamination the installation of piezometers stands out for the regular monitoring of groundwater, so that if a contaminant might be identified, preventive and/or corrective actions can be taken on the potentially polluting agent or the soil itself (remediation).
In these facilities, there has been a campaign of characterization of soil, called Base Report, which will be taken into consideration when it becomes time to dismantle the facilities, given that the site must be maintained suitable for potential future use. Similarly, a Risk Analysis on the health of people has been made, which ensure that under the current conditions of the soils of these centers there is no risk to people, for example by volatile inhalation, or dermal migration risks contaminants to nearby water sources.
The noise is an auditory sensation usually unpleasant.
There is a belief, not confirmed, in which it is said that people living near the Nile Falls complained of being deaf and although this statement has not been proven, the number of references found on this subject suggests that there was at least some concern.
In the late nineteenth century, with the steam engine and the initiation of the industrial age, industrial deafness of workers begins to be documented (PRL).
And more recently, discussions mention “noise pollution” making reference to noise, understood as excessive and annoying sound, caused by human activities (traffic, industry, places of leisure, planes…) that produce negative effects on hearing, and the physical and mental health of living beings.
Measures for minimizing noise in EDP Spain
To combat noise pollution, EDP acts continuously on three fronts: new projects, minimizing sound existing sources and implementation of best practices in operation.
Any project such as the implementation of new equipment and systems, are modeled acoustically to check if their sound emissions would raise the noise outside, so that the situation can be corrected right from the design phase. This is the case, for example, for the denitrification plants of Aboño 2 and Soto 3 (2016 and 2017, which came into operation respectively).
On the other hand, to reduce noise of operating plants, EDP analyzes which equipment is the noisiest and defines minimization plans. Thus, they have invested only between the thermal stations of Soto Aboño Ribera over 1.5 million euros in the last decade. The company introduced mufflers, replaced equipment and installed acoustic screens. These studies as well as the implementation of measures of noise minimization are being carried out with expert third-party firms in this area, coordinating and collaborating with different areas of EDP.
The awareness and education of all staff members is very important because it ensures the effectiveness of investments. In addition to plans for preventive and corrective maintenance of equipment and attenuation systems, the application of good practices, as simple as keeping doors, windows and gates permanently closed, is fundamental.