Environmental management plan and its impact on the impacts generated by the Rojas Service Station at the Colorado site of the Montecristi canton, province of Manabí, Ecuador from january to november 2017

Investigation article

Abstract

In view of the need to update and improve the environmental management plan of the "Rojas" Service Station, an PMA is implemented that complies with the Ecuadorian regulations in order to proceed with the proper functioning of the activities and safeguard the integrity of the persons they make up, among them, workers, clients and inhabitants of the area, which is why, the environmental management plan to be designed is in accordance with the needs that were presented. The present investigation has like objective to elaborate a design of an Environmental Management Plan (PMA) in the Service Station "Rojas",  located in the Km 7 of the route Manta - Montecristi in the Colorado site; after carrying out an evaluation of the E/S and reviewing the current regulations; a survey was carried out, in order to determine possible contamination and the perception of the administrative, operative, client and neighborhood personnel regarding environmental effects; which, after the respective study, provides a procedural guide to: prevent, correct, mitigate and compensate those negative impacts generated towards the environment. For the development of the present plan began with a visual inspection of the possible effects; Subsequently, the environmental baseline was applied based on physical perception and finally, the identification and assessment of the magnitude of the impact for this, was used: Leopold's Matrix that resulted in 30 positive effects and 15 affectations negative and the Evaluation Criteria Matrix that obtained a moderate impact on the basis that hydrocarbons cause great environmental impact. Legally, the elaboration was based on compliance with the Unified Text of Environmental Legislation. Once concluded with the matrices it was determined that the intensity of the Impact is of a Moderate nature so that the application of the Environmental Management Plan for the Service Station is feasible. As a result, it was possible to design nine programs that contain this Plan, such as: Program for the Prevention and Mitigation of Impacts, Contingencies, Training and Environmental Education, Occupational Health and Industrial Safety, Waste Management, Community Relations, Rehabilitation of Affected Areas, Signaling, and Finally, Environmental Monitoring. The Environmental Management Plan is a necessary tool in the processes of the Service Station, helps to constantly maintain the facilities, adequately eliminate solid waste and hazardous waste, accurately assist the distribution of fuel and provides guidelines in the Occupational Health and Safety When analyzing the present proposal, it can be observed that the impact of the E/S is currently minimal and when putting into practice the plan presented, the impact on the sector of influence will be further reduced.

Keywords: Environmental management plan, impact, prevent, mitigate.