Setúbal-Main Environment problems-

Geographical location

The town is situated 32 km southeast of Lisbon, on the north bank of the

Sado river estuary, and is flanked to the west by the Arrábida Moutain.

The urbanized area is approximately 10 km ².

Sado’s Estuary……One of the largest wetlands in the country, the Sado estuary is alsoone of the best places for birdwatching at any time ofyear. It is not difficult to see 80 species in one day. If you visit themain sites at certain times of year it is even possible to reachto 100 species

….. And its polutionEDP’s cables suffer from a high heat. In order to reduce the temperature, it is used river water stream in order to maintain constant temperature of these.

Result : The heated water resulting from cooling, which is dumped into the river, will change the optimal environmental conditions of local fauna and flora

Result: The industrial waste will affect the local habitat. The factory itself is located near the Capuchin Convent, a world heritage site, injuring the landscape and disrespecting nature.

Cement factory, which also empties its sewage into the waters of the estuary.

Drain discharge

Some people living around the Sado Estuary, also use it for disposal of sewage. Thus, the sewage flows directly into the river Setubal, without suffering any type of health treatment. Soon, the population Setubalense will also contribute to the current ecological problems. Launching untreated effluents (and sometimes at high temperature) to the river is to produce a serious ecological imbalance, which may extend to the destruction of fauna and flora it contains.

Docks and Construction Corps

Many of these builders dump heavy metals and other pollutants into the River. They settle on the river bottom, or are silty and are undergoing a successive accumulation.

Runoff from agricultural land

Used in conventional agriculture, pesticides and fertilizers seep into the ground and subsequently end up in ground water, or in this case, the Sado Estuary. The paddy fields which are situated near the river are a good example of this application

Arrábida’s Montain……The Arrabida’s Montain is an elevation located on the north bank of the estuary of the River Sado, Peninsula de Setúbal, Portugal, the highest point to 501 feet high and peculiar characteristics of climate and flora. Its climate is temperate Mediterranean, with a rich flora in Mediterranean species such as holm oak, cork oak.

….and its fire

In consequence of the lack of cleaning the forest and of high temperatures and strong winds, in the summer of 2004, Arrábida’s Moutain was the target of a large fire.

Secil, among other factories in the region, are sources of air pollution

in the region of Setúbal

Air pollution

A poor land management associated with poor cleaning of the areas of water drainage (gutters), originates in times of intense rainfall the rising of water level causing major floods, with serious consequences for the inhabitants.

Floods in Setúbal

February 18, 2008