The company manages to offset it with a reforestation project in Pontevedra and another hydroelectric project in China.

The Ministry for Ecological Transition certifies its environmental commitment with the “calculate, reduce and compensate” seal.

Surtruck has reiterated its commitment to the environment by once again obtaining the seal for the calculation and reduction of its carbon footprint awarded by the Ministry for Ecological Transition. It has also offset the greenhouse gas emissions produced by its activity during 2021 thanks to two environmental regeneration projects in which it has participated to offset its carbon footprint during 2021: Borela, a nationwide reforestation plan that has been developed in Pontevedra, and a hydroelectric initiative in the province of Yunna, in China.

As explained by the commercial director of Limpieza Vial, Antonio Venegas, “since 2015 we have been working on calculating and reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions because for our philosophy as a company it is fundamental to take care of our environment. That is why we set ourselves, at the time, the challenge of having the environmental certification that demonstrates that our action against climate change is firm. This is an objective in which we are supported by the consulting firm Ecoterrae www.ecoterrae.com, a leader in sustainability and climate change projects, which offers us the technical advice we need in the analysis of emission sources and in the monitoring of Surtruck’s emission reduction and offsetting measures plan”.

46 TONS OFFSET

The company is growing, so the offsetting strategy has had to be increased. During 2021, Surtruck’s carbon footprint was 46 tons of CO2, which have been offset, as recorded in the official certification, as follows: 10 tons through the forestry absorption project in Spain and 36 tons of CO2 for the hydroelectric project in China, endorsed by the United Nations.

Borela has been developed in the town council of Cerdedo-Cotobade, in Pontevedra, and has consisted in the planting of several native species in burned local forest. This action has reduced erosion, promoted biodiversity and generated employment.

China’s hydroelectric initiative, known as the CDM Yunnan Lincang Zhenai Hydropower Project, has consisted of using the hydrological resources of the Nanting River in a type of run-of-the-river diversion that generates electricity for the Yunnan power grid. The total installed capacity of the project is 9.6 megawatts (MW), consisting of three 3.2 MW turbines, supplying 50,169 MWh of electricity to the grid per year.

The international project is achieving greenhouse gas emission reductions by avoiding CO2 emissions from electricity generation by fossil-fuel power plants connected to the South China Power Grid, which would otherwise rely on fossil fuels. This reduces the level of pollution and generates clean energy with no negative impact on community health or nearby biological life, while creating jobs.

For Surtruck it is very satisfying to participate in these environmental regeneration initiatives, both national and international, as they reinforce the commitment of the company and its human capital to caring for the planet.