Situation

The Valladolid body assembly plant is located to the south of the city of Valladolid, in the centre of the Castilla y Leon region. It occupies a total area of 132 ha, with the plant's two buildings taking up 44 ha. It is located in an industrial zone, near a school, a hotel, a busy road and a farming area. The plant is well positioned. It is 200 km from Madrid, on the main route between Paris and Lisbon. This makes it easy to ship goods by rail and road. The plant is 17 km from the international airport.

Initial ISO 14001 certification earned in 1999.

Certification renewed in 2002 and 2005. 

Download :

- site's environmental policy 2007 (spanish)

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Water consumption

The plant has reduced its water consumption by 65% since 1999.

The site has significantly reduced water consumption through a range of initiatives:

• automation of drinking water treatment/wastewater treatment facilities; 
• recovery of process water;
• recycling of chemical baths;
• introduction of a closed-loop system for cooling towers;
• a reduction in purges and major efforts to repair leaks;
• phasing-out of old water systems;
• adjustment of system pressure;
• installation of flow meters in the showers;
• improved water collection networks;   
• new lime (calcium hydroxide) storage bins;
• installation of new flow meters;

• lower consumption in the bodywork plant (solenoid valves).

A stormwater survey was carried out.

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Water-borne effluents

The amount of DOC in wastewater has been reduced by 55% since 2000.

Action has been taken in several different areas:

• introduction of a separate sewer system with gate valves;
• osmosis and ultrafiltration in the paint process;
• a plan to reduce the use of chemicals;
• use of biodegradable products;
• effective control of flow and pollutant loads;
• technical improvement of the facilities for treating wastewater produced in surface treatment;
• the removal of lead from the electrocoating process.   
• an installation that continuously measures COD in the assembly plant ;
• an operational protocol for emissions to water (engine and bodywork/assembly plants).
  

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SO2 and greenhouse gas emissions

Quantities of SO2 discharged into the atmosphere have fallen to negligible levels as a result of several initiatives:

• replacement of fuel oil by natural gas;

• IT control and optimized combustion processes.      

The plant is equipped with installations designed to fill air conditioning systems with refrigerant gas through a zero emission process. This reduces the quantity of greenhouse gases discharged into the atmosphere.      

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Volatile organic compounds emissions from paint process

The plant has cut total VOC emissions by 75% since 1999.

In 2007, VOC emissions per vehicle fell by 26% on 2006 through the use of   water-based paints.  That reduction came on top of a 45% decrease in VOC emissions between 1998 and 2007 attributable to:

• incinerating gases with energy recovery,
• recycling solvents,
• installing a new oven,
• applying electrostatic paint,
• introducing water-based paint technology.
• actions to reduce VOCs.

A project to reduce emissions from bumper paint by incineration is in progress.

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Waste

The site has put in place several initiatives to reduce the volume of waste generated by each activity:

• waste separation and identification;
• minimization of hazardous waste (press filters and centrifuging);
• phasing-out of PCB transformers;
• use of durable packaging;
• separate collection of cardboard/plastic and non-hazardous waste;
• reduced wetness of paint sludge;
• replacement of fluorescent tubes by others with longer lives;
• reuse of waste, particularly pallets.

In 2005, the plant initiated a plan to replace fiber cement roofing.

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Energy

Since 1999, the plant has cut gas consumption by 40% and electricity consumption by 30%.

The site has put in place several initiatives to reduce energy consumption:

• an energy coordination committee was set up;
• IT process control;
• lighting and temperature control, including power shut-off following periods of non-use;
• inspections to check air- and watertightness of air and water systems;
• technical upgrades of electric transformers (self-regulating, without oil);     
• replacement of fuel oil with natural gas;
• replacement of central heating with localized heaters;
• During periods of non-use, automatic shutdown of machinery motors.
  

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Highlights

 

 Manuel Sánchez, Environmental Manager: 
 
"2007 was a significantly year for sustainable development at Valladolid. 

We finalized the installation of water-based paint lines and the new dilution room, which started with the installation of one line in 2005. 
 
With the new lines, the plant reduced VOC emissions to below European standards from 45g/m3 to 35g/m3. Water consumption and emissions to water have also decreased.

The new facilities required an investment of €50 million. They promise more efficient performance, higher quality and a lower  environmental impact"

Management  The most recent significant actions are as follows:

• improvements to chemical storage areas;
• phasing out of underground storage areas, replaced by ground-level installations; 
• grouping of service providers in a single area on-site;
• commitment of service providers to the site's environmental policy;
• implementation of the emergency situation prevention plan;
• soil study for contamination prevention purposes;
• completion of the initiative to phase out all PCB transformers in the final assembly unit;
• integration of environmental factors into the Renault Production Way and into new projects.