Environmental management and control

ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

Boí and Espot: Since the changeover to LED types of luminaires, consumption has remained more or less stable with insignificant fluctuations up and down and always below the reference value. Even so, the relative value is more significant than in other years, despite the fact that at an absolute level the consumption has fallen considerably, when relativised, the value is higher as the number of visitors has been very limited.

Senet: This is the centre that does not yet have the appropriate energy-saving lights. Little by little they will be renewed. The total and absolute consumption has decreased but, as in the case of Boí and Espot, in relative figures this value has not decreased but has increased.

Llessui: Llessui is the only centre where electricity consumption has increased despite the fact that the changeover to LED technology was also made and electricity consumption had been reduced significantly. This is due to the fact that the pellet heating is not working properly and workers use cookers and light radiators to achieve a comfortable temperature.

Erill garage: Electricity consumption at the Erill garage has decreased significantly, returning to 2017 values and almost being below the average of the last 5 years.

Garage Espot: Consumption has increased above the reference value.

Xalet Aigüestortes: Solar panels are available to generate electricity.

Information booths: The information booths are distributed at different points. They are equipped with solar panels to generate the electricity required.

Pont de Pallers Exhibition: Solar panels are available to generate electricity.

Senet muixirecs exhibition: Solar panels to power the life cycle monitoring camera and the devices that reproduce the sounds emitted by these mammals.

Overall electricity consumption continues its downward trend and has decreased significantly in recent years. This is a very positive development as electricity does not always come from renewable sources. It is therefore a great contribution on our part to reducing our carbon footprint and climate change.

The total values calculated do not include the solar energy generated in the 3 shelters and the 6 information booths inside the park, which are supplied by solar panels, since there are no meters to quantify them and, in addition, the conversion factor for CO2 emissions is zero in case it comes from renewable sources.

BIOMASS CONSUMPTION (Firewood and pellets)

Consumption of firewood in the information booths: Data on wood consumption is not available, but it is not very significant as it is only used as fuel for the cookers in the information booths. The firewood used comes from forest clearing in the municipality's forests.

JRC Llessui: Consumption has decreased again due to the malfunctioning of the cooker as already explained in the point on electricity increase.

JRC Senet: Consumption has increased again. However, several actions need to be rethought in this centre in terms of energy efficiency and review:

• the energy and economic cost of pellets,
• the roof, the closures and the possibility of installing a false ceiling,
• the underfloor heating circuit,

At the end of the year, the thermostats were moved to optimise the temperature control of the centre and reduce pellet consumption, but this has not yet been tested.

CIA Toirigo: There is no pellet consumption because there are no people staying in winter.

Refugio E. Llong and Plan de la Font: There has been less firewood consumption because the closures have been improved.

PROPANE AND DIESEL CONSUMPTION B

Propane gas at Casa del Parc de Boí: Despite the fact that the winter has not been cold, consumption at the Casa del Parc de Boí has been on an upward trend, even above the reference value. As with most of the indicators, the absolute value of gas consumption has decreased by 18%, but when the value is relativised, as there have been few visitors, the figure is higher.

Propane in the refuges of Estany Llong, Pla de la Font and Ventosa i Calvell: Consumption has not varied much from the previous year. It is sometimes difficult to control energy consumption in these infrastructures as they have very limited options. In all these infrastructures, gas is mainly used for cooking.

Diesel B at the Espot Park House: Absolute consumption has decreased but relative consumption has increased.

CONSUMPTION OF FUELS IN VEHICLES AND OTHERS. DIESEL A

Average vehicle fuel consumption falls again

Specific key figures and evolution

Units of energy consumption in MWh

Environmental management and control

The general dynamic is a decrease in the consumption of this natural resource.

Water consumption has decreased in all the houses and centres in the Park except in the Pla de la Font refuge, where it has been maintained. This reduction is mainly due to the crisis caused by COVID-19.

HOUSES AND COMPLEMENTARY INFORMATION CENTRES (CCI)

Water consumption has remained fairly constant in all the houses and centres except in the Senet centre, which stands out for its high consumption and has even gone up due to the decrease in the number of visitors. The causes are being investigated but everything points to a leak in the heating circuit because the highest consumption is during the winter months. This year too, in order to prevent the pipes from freezing, the taps have been left on all day and all night, which has led to this increase in water consumption.

ERILL GARAGE

The consumption of this infrastructure comes mainly from garden irrigation water. This year 2020, consumption has been reduced compared to the previous year, but it is still high.

PLA DE LA FONT REFUGE

Absolute water consumption has decreased, but when it comes down to it, the value is higher than the previous year in proportion to the number of overnight stays. It should be noted that there are many day visitors who do not stay overnight but make use of the facilities and are not counted.

ESTANY LLONG REFUGE

In recent years, reliable water consumption data has not been obtained because the meter was not working properly and caused oscillations in the water pressure, which led to malfunctioning of appliances such as heaters, etc. For 2020 there is only a reading for June and it has not been possible to obtain the rest of the consumption.

Specific key figures and evolution

Environmental management and control

Some of the discharge parameters analysed show values above the permitted limits for some of the analyses, but in general the results have been very good, as a great deal of effort is being put into the maintenance and improvement of the pits in these shelters.

The pits that have registered compliance in all the parameters analysed in accordance with their respective discharge authorisations are: the Ernest Mallafré and Saboredo shelters and the Toririgo camp.

The highest and most negatively noticeable values are COD, Ammonium and in some cases also Total Kjeldhal Nitrogen and suspended matter. The most acceptable values and within the admissible indicators are pH, Total Phosphorus and the amount of oils and fats.

Wastewater discharges from shelters outside the NWESP

In the Park there are 12 shelters offering accommodation and food services to hikers, 9 of which are not owned by the PNAESM, but belong to the CGA, the CEC, the FEEC.... Although these shelters are not certified as EMAS establishments, we try to integrate them into the system (as they are within its scope), and we try to ensure that the environmental management they carry out is the best possible.

Undoubtedly, the environmental aspect of the external shelters that can most affect the environment is the discharge of wastewater. For this reason, PNAESM collaborates in carrying out analyses of the water emanating from the pits, together with the rest of the water analyses carried out by PNAESM.

The results of the analyses are communicated to the shelter keepers and their owners, and pit maintenance protocols are provided to ensure that water treatment is as effective as possible.

The most problematic values for these sites are chemical oxygen demand and ammonium. In addition, other important pollutant values in some cases are suspended matter and Kjeldahl nitrogen. 

SETTLING SLUDGE.

The sewage sludge generated in the pits is removed and managed in a public WWTP.

The pits are not emptied every year, but according to need. During 2020, sludge was removed for the Estany LLong Refuge (9 m3) and Prat de Pierró (8 m3).

Sludge removal:

• 2018: 22 m3
• 2019: 24 m3
• 2020: 17 m3

Public watercourse receiving the discharge:

Specific key figures and evolution

Environmental management and control

The CO₂ emissions to the atmosphere caused by the Park's infrastructures are totally linked to the energy consumed, but the CO₂ emission factor of electrical energy varies each year depending on the annual electricity mix, which depends on whether this energy has been generated more from solid fuels, or from renewables, etc.

In total, 72.58 Tn of CO₂ have been generated in the Park as a whole, counting energy, electricity and diesel consumption of vehicles and machinery.

CO2 emissions

EMAS: CO2 emissionseq_2020

Other emissions

Environmental management and control

PAPER & BOARD

The generation of paper waste has decreased in the two houses of the Park, as they are making great progress in electronic processing. In the Senet and Llessui centres, the generation of this waste has increased because their archives have been cleaned. Also, in all the shelters of the Park, it has decreased due to good practices and the reuse of the same and due to the decrease in the number of visitors.

GLASS

The generation of this waste is not significant. No waste of this type has been generated at Senet and Llessui.

PLASTIC

The overall generation of plastic waste has decreased by almost 50%.

BANAL

This is not a reference year for the assessment of the environmental performance of the National Park as a whole in terms of the generation of all waste and consumption, but especially banal waste.

The generation of this waste has decreased in all centres due in large part to the decrease in visitors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ORGANIC

In the houses of the Park and the CCIs, the generation of this waste is minimal as it is closely linked to food waste and in few cases the staff generate it or stay to cook their meals. In the case of the shelters, the amount generated is more important but this year some data is missing and the Estaño Llong shelter has reduced the generation a lot due to the fact that it was only open for 30% of its capacity.

COOKING OIL

The refuges are part of the Amed programme with the aim of promoting the Mediterranean diet and a healthy eating model. Little oil is used for cooking and the generation of this waste at both the Estany Llong and Ventosa refuges is quite low. There is no data for Pla de la Font this 2020.

Specific key figures and evolution

List of waste

Environmental management and control

The reduction in paper consumption at Casa del Parc de Boí is very significant. Thanks to electronic administration, paper consumption has been reduced to a large extent. In addition, with the COVID no face-to-face meetings have been held and no paper has had to be printed out.

Paradoxically, paper consumption has increased in the smaller centres and also in the Casa del Parc d'Espot. It is emphasised that, by relativising the values, this is often the reason why they are so high in proportion to the number of workers or visitors who pass through the aforementioned infrastructures, but the consumption itself is not so high.

Specific key figures and evolution

Specific key figures for other significant aspects

The total amount of abandoned waste collected is 143.90 kg. 78.91 kg in the Strict National Park and 64.99 kg in the peripheral area.

It is necessary to reinforce the sensitisation and awareness of respect for nature so that visitors do not litter in the protected areas and take it with them to throw it into the respective containers in the villages.

In any case, it is still below the reference value and in relative terms this increase is not very significant, taking into account the size of the whole park.

EMAS_V: Specific indicators

Biodiversity indicators