In 2019, 20 complaints regarding environmental impacts were filed with PKN ORLEN’s Environmental Inspection System.
Nineteen concerned odour nuisance and were resolved in accordance with systematic internal procedures, and the filing persons received relevant feedback. Most of the complaints were registered when production units were shut down for maintenance work and preparation for process start-ups, which involved emptying and blowing apparatuses, as well as steam cleaning of individual systems containing mixtures of hydrocarbons for flaring. One complaint concerned wastewater foaming at the point of discharge to the Vistula river. In order to resolve the issue, the company cleared the outlet to the river by removing reed.
Thirteen complaints were registered at the the ORLEN Group Czech companies, including nine at Unipetrol, three at Spolana and one at Paramo. All concerned nuisance odours. In each case the companies carried out relevant inspections and promptly took measures to reduce the nuisance.
ORLEN Lietuva reported nine complaints related to nuisance odours.
Each complaint was considered on a case-by-case basis and with utmost care. In the areas where odour nuisance was identified, substance concentrations were measured, and ongoing monitoring of weather conditions and substance concentrations in automatic air monitoring stations was undertaken. The technical services took steps to check whether the production, repair and maintenance processes were run correctly, and to minimise the nuisance.
All 42 grievances filed with the companies by telephone or in writing were resolved by the end of the reporting year.