A series of protests were held by residents against the factory due to smoke and noise pollution. Local residents of Cork Factory in Silves led this protest outside Silves Câmara last week. The news show ‘Portugal em Directo’ also gave coverage of the protest by residents against the factory. The residents who took part in the protest were interviewed by the RTP TV channel as well.
Protest Against Pollution From Cork Factory
Finally, the voices of the residents are heard after years of campaigning against factory pollution. This happened in Cork Factory, located in the Silves where residents have reached a national audience through their protest. The majority of the residents in the Silves area are complaining about the smoke and noise pollution generated by the factory. This protest commenced under the name of “The Neighbours of the Factory’. The residents aim to put more pressure on Amorim, who is the current owner of the factory.
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Residents deem to find a necessary solution for the pollution generated by the factory. The voices of these residents are heard as Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) TV channel in Portugal gave coverage to their protest. The protest was also mentioned in the news show ‘Portugal em Directo’.
Meeting To Monitor Environmental Issues
A meeting to monitor and propose solutions for environmental causes in Portugal was held on 8th November 2024. This marked the 13th quarterly meeting to check the environmental status at the Amorim Cork Insulation (ACI) plant in Vale de Lama, located in the Silves. It was held at the Silves Town Hall in Silves. The following notable organizations attended the meeting:
- Councilor Maxime Sousa Bispo
- Representatives from CCDR-Algarve
- Pestana Group
- Residents of the Committee of ‘The Neighbors of the Factory’
- Amorim Cork Insulation (ACI)
The spokesperson for ‘The Neighbors of the Factory’, Elaine Evans, was grateful for the presence of:
- Vice-President of CCDR-Algarve, Architect José Pacheco
- Newest CEO of Amorim Cork Solutions (ACS), Dr João Pedro Azevedo
Dr João Pedro Azevedo explained the new merger of 3 business units into a single business unit. The 3 business units that were merged are Cork Composite, Cork Insulation, and Cork Flooring. Now, these three units collaborate into a single unit called ‘Amorim Cork Solutions’. This merger will be implemented from 1 January 2025.
The new CEO of Amorim Cork Solutions has revealed that he is aware of all the complaints regarding the factory. He also believes in sustainable practices to reduce the pollution generated by the factory. João Pedro further informed that dates are set for the completion plans to modify the factory that causes environmental hazards. He also ensured that in the future, Amorim Cork Solutions will complete all the necessary work by the end of 2024 to reduce the noise pollution in the area.
Amorim Cork Solutions Making Amendments To Reduce Noise
The CEO of Amorim Cork Solutions (ACS) informed the public that work is already in progress to reduce noise pollution. This work will be completed by the end of the year 2024. He has made plans to follow the legal limits for noise generation as specified in the General Noise Regulation. To make sure, the company will carry out a series of tests during January and February next year. These tests will best describe the efficiency of all the new measures implemented by the company.
Amorim Cork Solutions is also making efforts to reduce smoke and smell. Work is already under progress, which will be divided into various phases. Phase 1 has already been completed by the end of June 2023. This included the installation and operation of the pre-filter in different locations of the factory. Phase 2 has also begun, which will redesign and install the factory’s final filter (RTO). Representatives from ‘The Neighbors of the Factory’ stated:
Amorim Cork Insulation (ACI) is currently finalizing the commercial negotiations for the purchase and construction of the RTO, with the aim that, from 1 July 2025, there will be no more smoke emitted into the atmosphere, nor any smell.
Next Meeting Scheduled In February 2025
The next monitory meeting is scheduled for 28 February 2025 at 10:30 am. The representatives of The Neighbours of the Factory’ wanted to express their gratitude towards the cooperation from permanent municipal executives of Silves Town Council. They made sure that this monitory meeting would be a success.
The main aim of the meeting was to correct the environmental concerns at the Corticeira Amorim factory, located in Vale da Lama, Silves. This aim was obtained through the improved relationship between Amorim Cork Insulation company and the neighboring residents of the area. The representative of The Neighbors of the Factory’ stated:
Finally, with regard to the dust and ash that pollute the properties of the neighbouring population, Amorim Cork Insulation (ACI) will make efforts to implement corrective measures, based on studies that are already being carried out and which will involve relevant decision-making at the start of the next calendar year.
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