The international event took place yesterday. “Remediation of Contaminated Sites by Hydrocarbons in Remote Areas”(Remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated sites in remote areas), organized by Profonanpe – and its Environmental Liabilities Program team – with the support of RemTech Europe. This webinar, which aimed to present national and international experiences in the remediation of environmental liabilities in remote areas, included the participation of the AESAS group (Brazil), the Ministry of the Environment (Minam), and the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem), among others.
During the event, several presentations explored the impact of oil spills on ecosystems, current legislation regarding contaminated sites, progress in environmental remediation in Peru, and the environmental liabilities in the Peruvian rainforest and their difficult access. Within the framework of Profonanpe's Environmental Liabilities Program, which is also managed by the Contingency Fund for Environmental Remediation of the Corrientes, Tigre, Pastaza, and Marañón River Basins, emphasis was placed on the collaborative work with the Ministry of the Environment (Minam) and the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem). This collaboration has enabled the development of rehabilitation plans to recover areas impacted by hydrocarbon activities, which pose a threat to the health of residents living near the affected sites. Currently, 30 plans have been submitted, 12 of which have already been approved.
According to Julio Horna, an expert in remediation at Profonanpe's Environmental Liabilities Program, one of the main problems in the remediation process "is that they are located in very remote areas and require special logistics to remediate them."«
Similarly, international experts shared the challenges they faced during environmental remediation processes in deserts, tropical regions, and frozen areas. Through their experiences, they also presented innovative solutions that enabled them to carry out remediation treatments in these types of locations.
Finally, Flor Blanco, Manager of the Environmental Liabilities Program at Profonanpe, concluded the day by stating that “in environmental remediation, it is important to recognize that it is not just a piece of land, but a living territory; to develop alliances with native communities; and to promote research and experimentation.” Thus, considering that for years hydrocarbon activities have generated environmental impacts—proof of which is the recent Repsol oil spill in the sea off Ventanilla—it is necessary to continue highlighting these cases and, above all, to find solutions for the remediation of the affected areas.
