14 October 2020
Respect of the environment, health and safety is a deeply rooted value for Groupe Somavrac. In recent years, the company has implemented several measures to promote this value, here are five of them in this article.
- Compliance audits
To ensure compliance with laws, regulations, policies, and directives related to the handling of hazardous materials, Groupe Somavrac performs compliance audits. These environmental compliance audits are used to establish protocols for activities that could have an impact on the environment. Specifically, spill prevention, contaminated site management, liquid effluent management, environmental emergency plans, and many other procedures are audited to comply with all regulations. - Event management procedures
Groupe Somavrac employees are trained for any incident. If an accidental spill occurs, employees can identify its impact on the environment promptly to take adequate measures avoiding permanent damages. Staff training includes the identification of areas and products which risk having an impact on the environment. Finally, to practice first response techniques, a spill simulation exercise was carried out. - Member of the Green Marine Program
The Green Marine Program is based on six guiding principles which aim to improve environmental performance in a measurable way. The subsidiaries that are members of the Program within Groupe Somavrac are Servitank in Bécancour and Porlier in Sept-Îles. To evaluate their performance, members must meet the six following criteria: greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollutants, prevention of leaks and spills, handling and storage of solid bulk, harmonization of uses, environmental leadership and management of residual materials. - Sampling programs
An environmental campaign gives a broad picture of a given environment thanks to the analysis of representative samples. In an industry where several products are handled, sampling campaigns may have different goals. At Groupe Somavrac, the main sampling campaigns are carried out on groundwater, sanitary discharges, runoff water and dyke water. - Washing room suitable for handled products
As you may know, Groupe Somavrac offers a transportation service for liquid and solid bulk products. When the same tanker truck transports different products, washing its container is necessary. After doing so, the wastewater resulting from this is treated and sampled to ensure compliance with current standards.