A contaminação de solo e água subterrânea devido aos postos de serviço no Brasil

Abstract

In 2012 there were 39,450 service stations registered in the National Agency of Petroleum and Biocombustibles – ANP. The regulation process of the service stations in Brazil, aimed at environmental suitability, was initiated with the implementation of Resolution Nº 273 of the National Council of Environment - CONAMA, which establishes the environmental licensing for the operation of stations and dictates the principle equipment for environmental control at those stations. The stations that have emerged since this resolution are enterprises with greater protection against environmental damage. All stations in existence before 2001 have had to perform upgrades or complete renovations, at an average cost of $182,000 each. Installation or repair of equipment and systems depends on the classification of the enterprise in relation to the risk of environmental contamination and follow various regulations of the Brazilian Association of Technical Standards – ABNT. The determination of the necessary contribution from gas stations in all contaminated areas in the country only became possible after the implementation of CONAMA Resolution Nº 420/2009, which established a methodology for the management of the contamination to be assumed by state environmental agencies. This work shows Brazilian regulations dictating the installation of equipment at new stations or refurbishment of equipment at existing stations; shows the main equipment for environmental protection and control; the procedures for the management of contaminated areas and the initial results of the inventories of environmental agencies in the states of São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. It was concluded that service station activity is the principle cause of contamination of soil and groundwater in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais and probably in most other states as well. It will only be possible to have official federal statistics on contamination in soil and groundwater and the methods employed to prevent or remedy the contamination from leaks through underground fuel storage tank system - UST , the method through which the state environmental agencies inventories will be divulged. It is necessary that the state statistics include equipment used in stations for control and protection in order to help establish the frequency of maintenance, as well as increase knowledge of factors (types of fuels, additives, weather, pollution, etc.) that cause the deterioration said equipment. Although since 2000 many laws and regulations have been created or revised seeking environmental compliance in the Brazil, the experiences in developed countries should be considered in order to continue the process of improving the suitability of service stations.