In its 25th edition, Operation Winter began on May 1st at the Industrial Hub of Cubatão. The opening of activities, normally held at the facilities of Cide and Ciesp Cubatão, took place on April 28, through videoconference, between representatives of the industries and Cetesb’s regional manager in the municipality, Marcos Cipriano.
In order to contribute to the good quality of the industrial region, an operation works to clean the main access roads to the Pole and to companies, to avoid the dispersion of particulates (dust) accumulated on the roads, mainly due to the execution of vehicles, intensified by the climbing variable that happens in winter.
The phenomenon, known as thermal inversion, causes the particulates to concentrate on the surface and not disperse due to the colder temperature. In the summer, the earth’s surface remains warm, the hot air rises and the winds dispel dust. In the coldest season of the year in the city, there is usually little rain and wind, which favors concentration.
The preventive action, also known as Street Bath, will take place between the months of May and September, with the coordination of Cide and support from Ciesp Cubatão and other industries of Condomínio Industrial. Cleaning and wetting are carried out on the main roads and avenues located at the Pole, such as the Cônego Domênico Rangoni Highway, Eng. Plínio de Queiróz Avenue, Senhor Renê Fonseca Road and other accesses close to the industrial units and regulatory yards.
The cleaning is done by sweeping the roads and, then, it uses wetting water for reuse with a water truck, in operation for 12 hours daily, during the entire period of the campaign. In 2019, about 82 tons of waste were collected, such as mud, pet bottles, rubbers, tires and vehicle parts.
Since 1994, the city has had no critical episodes and outside the standards recommended by law. Air quality indexes are monitored by three Cetesb measuring stations, located in the Industrial Pole and in the urban area of Cubatão, and are available for consultation on the agency’s website with updated data hourly, every day of the week.
For Marcos Cipriano, the support of the industries is fundamental for the success of the action. “Even with the reduction of industrial activities during the pandemic, the operation is still important. The intensification of movement on the roads is a concern in this period of the year and we count on the help of the Condominium to achieve yet another positive result, as in previous years”.
“We will work to make Operation Winter this year another milestone in our commitment to environmental management in the Pole and region. With the support of the industries and Cetesb, we will endeavor to conclude this period within the air quality standards”, says Cide’s executive director, Ricardo Salgado.