Study shows the environmental footprint left by Codelco’s Ventanas division

PUC Communications.- An investigation led by the academic of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses of the UC, Hector Jorqueraanalyzed the air quality in Quintero and La Greda, two towns historically affected by episodes of acute pollution from the Ventanas industrial zone.

The study published last February in the Journal of Hazardous Materialsshows the environmental footprint left by the Codelco Ventanas Division copper smelter, during the analysis period between 2014 and 2020.

“Ventanas is responsible for the largest number of events of high concentrations of sulfur dioxide, both daily and on an hourly scale, in both locations in the Valparaíso Region,” said Héctor Jorquera, who is also an associate researcher at Center for Sustainable Urban Development UC (CEDEUS).

“The investigation showed that this town is affected from dusk until mid-morning by gaseous emissions from the industrial zone” – Héctor Jorquera, Engineering and CEDEUS academic

ShareIn Quintero, the specialist specified that the daily average of these concentrations exceeded the recommendation of the World Health Organization (40 micrograms per cubic meter) throughout the study period, frequently exceeding 200 micrograms per cubic meter at some times.

“The investigation showed that this town is affected from dusk until mid-morning by gaseous emissions from the industrial area, while in the area of ​​La Greda the impacts on air quality are manifested mainly in the afternoons,” added the professor of UC Engineering.

Likewise, the study determined that there are a significant number of events of high concentrations of sulfur dioxide that affect the Quintero area, which come from the south. This means the existence of another similar source of contamination.

“Although these contributions are minor, the question remains as to how large these concentrations would be if they were measured to the south of Quintero, in other towns up to and including Concón,” said the UC Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses academic.

The study indicates that with the closure of the Codelco Ventanas smelter, the ambient concentrations of sulfur dioxide will be drastically reduced in the entire area of ​​Quintero, La Greda and towns near the Ventanas industrial complex.

cessation of operations

Unanimously, the legislative process that will allow progress in one of the fundamental milestones to finalize the cessation of operations of the Ventanas de Codelco smelter, located in the Puchuncaví commune, was concluded.

Following Senate approval at the end of January,The Chamber of Deputies ratified the initiative unanimously. The approved law maintains Codelco’s obligation to receive minerals from small and medium-sized producers in any of its divisions and process them in a smelter other than Ventanas.

The foregoing is one of the requirements that will enable Codelco to cease operations of the smelter. The following process will take place once Sernageomin approves the file already entered with the technical proposal, which is estimated to be completed next May.

At that time, the Ventanas Division will be able to advance in the most important transformation in its almost 60-year history, by maintaining copper refining as its only operation.