The annual study of air quality in the municipalities located next to the Tarragona petrochemical company has analyzed for the first time in history the pollution peaks of one of the most toxic and carcinogenic volatile organic compounds, 1,3-butadiene. The report, carried out by the Rovira i Virgili University (URV) at the request of the industry itself, concludes that 2% of all the samples obtained during 2022 exceeded the reference limit value, set at 20 micrograms per cubic meter.
Despite the fact that there is no legislation on this polluting volatile organic component, the study, presented at the Tarragona Chamber of Commerce, has established as an indicator the one that already exists in the regulations for the peaks of another carcinogenic component, benzene. In the case of benzene, continuous sampling has been carried out for years, 365 days a year (24 hours), next to the northern petrochemical estate of Tarragona.
The report released today is incomplete because it has not detailed what the peaks of butadiene contamination were, what maximum values ??were reached or how long they lasted. The petrochemical industry points out that all the data obtained must now be analyzed, more than 15,000, which will make it possible to draw more conclusions about the pollution peaks and introduce improvements, as has already been done with benzene. “The study of the peaks of 1,3-butadiene will help companies to improve processes and achieve progress, as was done with benzene,” say the promoters of the report.
The sector has highlighted, in the mouth of the president of the Chemical Business Association of Tarragona (AEQT), Ignasi Cañagueral, that “there is nowhere in Europe or perhaps in the world where the quality of the air around an industry” and ensures that it has been shown that “the population of Tarragona can be calm”.
According to the study by the Camp de Tarragona Observatory for Air Quality, promoted by Repsol five years ago with the support after the AEQT, the average annual and monthly pollution values ??have once again been below the maximum values reference. “The average values ??of benzene and 1,3-butadiene are still below the immission limit established by the legislation and the reference values,” the authors of the report highlight.
The Generalitat has its own network of pollution level meters along with the petrochemical company and there are some municipalities and entities that carry out other studies on air quality. “Basically, it is transmitting peace of mind to the entire population that lives in the area, in fact, social concern exists, there are several city councils and organizations that carry out their reports”, Àngel Xifré highlighted today, after the presentation of the report, delegate of the Generalitat in Tarragona.
Thanks to the initiative of the Camp de Tarragona Air Quality Observatory, 22 population centers in Tarragona are currently being continuously monitored, together with the Prades, Lleida, Barcelona and Girona petrochemical estates. In this way, the values ??of the different cities are compared. In addition to benzene or butadiene, a total of 60 volatile organic components characteristic of the Tarragona area are analyzed due to their petrochemical activity.
