Spanish school, Research Station, Sustainable tourism, Ecotourism, Fish studies, Bird and other nature studies, Reforestation and Conservation Activities and Hostel in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, Nicaragua. Birdwatching, SCUBA diving, swimming, hiking, nature and wildlife watching. Hostel, great meals, great friends. Saving the planet and enjoying every minute of it!
www.gaianicaragua.org.
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Varios reportes noticieros han salido al aire sobre el asunto de la Big Cola en los últimos días. Aquí se puede ver, por ejemplo, un reportaje de 100% Noticias (Jackson Orozco):
La Radio La Primerísima también ha participado en la divulgación de los asuntos de contaminación de agua y excesos de sonido en la Big Cola (oprima sobre la foto para el enlace):
Haga clic sobre la foto para enlace con Radio La Primerísima.
Haga clic en la foto para conectar al reporte de Boletín Ecológico.
Los vecinos reclaman por cumplimiento de leyes ambientales, sobre sonidos, vibraciones, y emisión de líquidos y gases, en un barrio urbano en Managua. Para participar en las protestas contra la contaminación de agua en el Lago Xolotlán, y la protección contra sonidos en el barrio, escribannos en fundeci@gmail.com. FUNDECI necesita del apoyo de cada persona interesada para proteger el medio ambiente.
Just in case anyone doesn't believe the videos and photos demonstrated in an earlier blog entry are real, here are more. Big Cola is considered to be a multinational, receiving the same support for its business as the other Free Trade Zone companies that do business in Nicaragua. These companies submit to strict regulations which control their activities. Nonetheless, policing is difficult for the government, even when relatively few companies are recalcitrant polluters. The case of Big Cola is dramatic, however, as can be seen in the videos below.
Wastewater from the Big Cola bottling plant in Managua is opaque and foamy. Is this within the standards for wastewater in Managua?
Water dumped from the Big Cola plant may vary from dark, bright red, or opaque white.
The owners of Big Cola, AJE Group, have promised to invest US$25 million in Nicaragua. This seems like a great plan, because Nicaragua needs investment and employment. Nonetheless, this investment must be placed appropriately, including to clean up the messes made by the company and to protect the neighbors from water pollution, gases, and noise. Additionally, workers in the Big Cola bottling plant must be protected from noise, as well.
Are you offended by these images and videos? Do you want to do something to keep Nicaragua clean and safe for everyone? Contact us. FUNDECI is working with the local community to bring the issue to the attention of local and national government authorities, and the public has much to do to pressure the government to act. We need your help to pressure the AJE Group to comply with Nicaraguan laws.
Toda actividad comercial debe acatar a un gran número de regulaciones ambientales para asegurar la protección de los suelos, el aire y el agua que nosotros ocupamos. No toda empresa actúa responsablemente. Es desafortunado que hay empresas que abusan de los principios básicos del cuido del planeta y el respeto hacia sus vecinos. Entre las empresas violadoras en Nicaragua, se encuentra la empresa embotelladora conocida por su producto más visible: Big Cola.
Este líquido rojo fue botada recientemente desde la planta Big Cola, operada por Aje Group, en Managua.
FUNDECI participa en una iniciativa local para exigir a la planta embotelladora Big Cola a acatar a estandares mínimos ambientales. La planta emite líquidos contaminantes en un cauce que corre directamente al Lago Xolotlán. Esta emisión es en violación directa y obvia de la ley en Nicaragua. Los líquidos emitidos son de diferentes colores opacos, como se fueran pinturas.
Big Cola bota agua severamente contaminada en un cauce en Managua.
Los vecinos de la planta han reportado olores feo, especialmente cuando la planta emite grandes cantidades de gases de sus tanques de alta presión. Nadie sabe precisamente que ellos emiten en esos eventos, pero el alarma provocada por el desinterés que la empresa demuestra, hace que los vecinos sospechen lo peor.
La maquinaria en esta planta emite mucha ruido, violando los derechos de los vecinos a la paz en su vecindario. Las indicaciones para niveles máximos de ruidos, manejadas por la Organización Mundial para la Salud, no son respetadas en la planta Big Cola, donde los ruidos en las casas de los vecinos llegan a niveles que afectan el bienestar fíisico y emocional de sus habitantes. Estas indicaciones son ley en Nicaragua.
El costado este de la planta embotelladora Big Cola en Managua.
Maquinaria pesada en la planta Big Cola también provocan vibraciones en la tierra. Los vecinos reportan miedo de un evento sísmico.
Se convocó una reunión pública en la planta embotelladora Big Cola en Managua, el 27 de junio del 2014. Asistieron oficiales de varios oficinas gubernamentales, la planta Big Cola, y vecinos, y representantes de FUNDECI. Los vecinos presentaron sus quejas sobre la contaminación y el ruido. Como se ve en las fotos y videos, la planta Big Cola produce ruidos que afectan a la salud de sus empleados y vecinos, y bota líquidos no tratados.
La planta Big Cola supuestamente se ampara en los acuerdos de CAFTA, pero esta protección no brinda ningún derecho de contaminar.
Deseas apoyarnos en la lucha para hacer que la Big Cola cumpla con las leyes ambientales? Contactanos!
Every commercial activity must abide by a multitude of regulations to ensure that it does not contaminate the air, water and soils with the rest of us also inhabit. Not all businesses act responsibly with respect to the basic principles of taking care of the earth and respecting your neighbors, however. Among them is a bottling plant known for its most visible product, Big Cola.
This red liquid was recently released from the Big Cola plant operated by Aje Group, in Managua.
FUNDECI is participating in a neighborhood initiative to force the Big Cola bottling plant to meet minimum environmental standards. The plant emits contaminating liquids into an adjacent ditch, which run directly into Lake Managua, also known as Lake Xolotlán. This is in obvious, direct violation of Nicaraguan law. The liquids often are of opaque colors, as if they were paints.
Big Cola dumps severely contaminated water into a drainage ditch in Managua.
Neighbors have reported noxious odors, especially following gas releases which can be heard coming from high-pressure tanks. No one knows precisely what is being released into the atmosphere in these events, but the alarm regarding the disregard for the environment shown by the company leads the neighbors to suspect the worst.
Machinery in this plant operates at a very high noise level, violating the rights of neighbors to a low levels of background noise. Indications for the adequate maximum noise levels in a neighborhood are developed by the World Health Organization of the United Nations. These guidelines are not respected at the Big Cola factory, where noises fill the surrounding neighborhoods at levels which affect the physical and emotional well-being of its occupants. The WHO indications are guidelines for sound contamination in Nicaraguan law.
The eastern side of the Big Cola bottling plant in Managua.
Heavy machinery in the Big Cola plant also create enormous vibrations of the ground. The neighbors have mentioned that they fear seismic repercussions from all this vibration.
A public meeting was held at the Big Cola bottling plant in Managua, 27 June 2014. The meeting was attended by officials from several Nicaraguan government offices, the Big Cola plant, and dozens of neighbors. In the meeting, the issues of noise and water and air pollution were presented. As can be seen in the photos and videos, the Big Cola bottling plant produces unhealthy levels of noise to its employees and the neighborhood and dumps liquids without proper treatment.
.JPG "Big Cola Nicaragua")
.JPG "Big Cola")
