Special Ecological Assessment Study for a 5 Star Superior Tourist Investment

Subject: Investigation of environmental impacts on a site belonging to the Natura 2000 network of protected areas.

Client: Multinational Tourism Investment company.

Investment category: tourism

Location: Regional unit of Lefkada

Description: Study on the impacts of the tourist investment on the Natura 2000 site. We conducted cost-efficient field-works to map terrestrial  and marine habitats and species, as well as birds.  In addition we examined threats and impacts on the natural environment in the present, during contruction and during operation of the project. Our outcome supported a Strategic Environmental Assessment and an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Environment: Site surveys were carried out and fauna – flora species were recorded in the terrestrial part of the area by experienced biologists, with emphasis on reptiles and small mammals, habitats vegetation, as well as on human interventions. The area was also mapped and several species present in the area were recorded. For the exploration of the marine environment, experienced divers-oceanographers carried out research on the marine habitats and took underwater visual material related to the species in the project area.

underwater pipeline

Disposal study for brine waste

Title: Brine residual disposal report

Subject: Sea disposal of the brine residual produced by a desalination plant.

Client: Multinational Investment Company

Investment category: RO Unit for seawater desalination

Description: The project included the design of a seawater desalination unit and the underwater pipeline that would dispose brine waste into the sea bottom. The assessment included: water yield, brine yield, pipeline specifications and a water solubility and mixture model for the distribution of the brine waste in the Posidonia oceanica (protected habitat) patches at the sea bottom.

Environment: Regarding the brine disposal at sea, the area off-shore the said investment belongs to the Natura 2000 network of conservation areas. In order to understand the expected diffusion of the over-saline front, at the spot of disposal, we assessed empirical relationships and experiments . We also examined different simulation scenarios, by use of a simulation model. The results of the simulation were compared and finally we selected two alternative ways of brine disposal. We argued that the implementation of the project would affect the environment to a very small extent, owing to the low amounts of brine to be disposed and the appropriate selection of the disposal spot.

Design and application study for wastewater reuse

Subject: Design and implementation of a wastewater reuse system for irrigation and Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR)

Client: Pharmaceutical Industry

Investment Category: Industrial

Description:  A Managed Aquifer Recharge system was coupled to an irrigation system to secure that treated wastewater will be adequately reused. The design of the wastewater treatment plant included an FBBR modular system (Fixed Bed Biological Reactor). The capacity of the system covers 20 – 110 PE, and it is based on a serial array of tanks.

Environment: Groundwater and surfacewater protection was the main goals of the system. The area of establishment is highly industrial and since groundwater remains in a ‘good status’ the objective was to contribute to the water quality and quantity improvement.

Photo by Ivan Bandura on Unsplash

Environmental & Social Impact Assessment – Production of Pharmaceuticals

Subject: Environmental Permitting of a pharmaceutical production unit

Client: Pharmaceutical company

Investment Category: Industrial

Description: Environmental licensing of a pharmaceutical industry was the main purpose of the assessment. The study follows the requirements the Environmental legislation and sets specific weight on waste management, wastewater management and emissions management. 

Environment: The environmental impact study examined the compatibility of the project with the official spatial and town planning regulations. Checks have been made on the boundaries of the surrounding dwellings and for the possible existence of areas with archaeological interest and forest areas around the buildings. Alternative technologies were examined, based on criteria: socio-economic, natural resources and energy consumption, man-made environment, technical infrastructure, land and solid waste management. Finally, mitigation measures for potential environmental impacts were presented, for the construction and operation phases.