Gran Canaria chemical plant "The Skeleton"

[Marc B]

Built in 1950 right next to the coast. Looks like a huge animal skeleton and can be seen in the distance near the sea from GC-1 motorway passing alongside Telde. In the middle of a current industrial zone.

La CINSA was a dirty dangerous chemical manufacturer plant for making fertiliser, they paid their employees a pittance and the chimneys spouted toxic ash into the environment and dumped effluent into the sea. Tons of pyrites from Africa were transported there and used to make sulphuric acid used for making nitrates. The impurites from the process include heavy metals like arsenic and cadmium. It was abandoned in the early 80s when production transferred to the spanish mainland, doing everyone here a big favour. There are still there tons of raw product there lightly covered with topsoil and leaching into the sea.
Google search telde nave cinsa medio ambiente will find background history.

Photogenic modelling photos use it as a backdrop. This part of the island (Telde) has many derelict abandoned structures.

 

[Foxylady]

What an amazing structure. Love your photos, Marc. Interesting place.

 

[Marc B]

Adding some more. Location is
27.9778,-15.3782
Street name: Mecánico, Telde 35219

From a distance it looks like a giant animal ribcage

 

[Rollo5014]

Interesting pictures, Marc. The architecture ought really be preserved. Is the Canarian government (or a campaign) doing anything about the pollution?

 

[Marc B]

As I understand it's a kind of listed building. It might be mentioned somewhere in data published by the authorities.
According to Canarias 7 newspaper (in Spainsh) it was a heavy source of contaminaton and many people who worked there had serious illnesses.
I expect the environment authorities understand about environmental impact and are prioritising and managing accordingly. Might be published. The entire site has perimeter fence all around.
There are other pollution problems on the island which they've considered more urgent I guess because frequented by people, like for instance the beach El Confital in Las Palmas which is prone to biological contamination and Las Canteras beach where there's recurring marine life microplastics problem mainly due to tourism industry.

It seems the whole island seems to be peculiar as far as pollution is concerned, for example more and more electric vehicles appear on the roads but they are powered by a fossil fuel power station producing (as I understand) 90% of demand, located in Jinámar valley near the sea. I presume so easy access from oil tanker ships. You can tell where the main source of electricity is simply by counting the number of HV pylons it has. The big wind farm in Arinaga has no pylons at all (suggesting it supplies the local area only), while Jinámar fossil fuel generator has dozens of HV pylons radiating out in different directions to serve different parts of the island. I expect with the increase of electric cars on roads they'll have to build another fossil fuel power plant and more pylons or god forbid nuclear power!

 

[Hayman]

As I understand it's a kind of listed building. It might be mentioned somewhere in data published by the authorities.
According to Canarias 7 newspaper (in Spainsh) it was a heavy source of contaminaton and many people who worked there had serious illnesses.
I expect the environment authorities understand about environmental impact and are prioritising and managing accordingly. Might be published. The entire site has perimeter fence all around.
There are other pollution problems on the island which they've considered more urgent I guess because frequented by people, like for instance the beach El Confital in Las Palmas which is prone to biological contamination and Las Canteras beach where there's recurring marine life microplastics problem mainly due to tourism industry.

It seems the whole island seems to be peculiar as far as pollution is concerned, for example more and more electric vehicles appear on the roads but they are powered by a fossil fuel power station producing (as I understand) 90% of demand, located in Jinámar valley near the sea. I presume so easy access from oil tanker ships. You can tell where the main source of electricity is simply by counting the number of HV pylons it has. The big wind farm in Arinaga has no pylons at all (suggesting it supplies the local area only), while Jinámar fossil fuel generator has dozens of HV pylons radiating out in different directions to serve different parts of the island. I expect with the increase of electric cars on roads they'll have to build another fossil fuel power plant and more pylons or god forbid nuclear power!

"like for instance the beach El Confital in Las Palmas which is prone to biological contamination and Las Canteras beach where there's recurring marine life microplastics problem mainly due to tourism industry" - the biter bit. All over the world, the lure of tourism destroys/replaces local local industries and local cultures with what the cynic might call hedonism - accommodation, entertainment and 'tourist activities' to satisfy the desires of people with a lot more money than the people whose villages and small towns become the likes of Acapulco and Benidorm. I should know. My parents were, in a small way, responsible for how south Devon was changed by increasing numbers of visitors in the 1950s. And I have left my footprints and my money in scores of countries around the world. With the same urges as countless explorers and travellers have had over millennia.

As for the way electricity is generated on Las Palmas, the amount needed is directly related to the size of the tourism industry. And the small size of the island cannot hide the connection between the power plants and the hotels, pubs and restaurants; plus the 13 million passengers that flew in and soon after out in 2018. And the 'carbon footprint' to manufacture and construct the Arinaga wind turbine farm was hardly 'net zero'. As for the supposed ecological benefits of electric cars . . .

 

[Marc B]

There's quite a bit of industry here, a most of it in Arinaga the biggest poligono industrial. 690 companies electric consumption 30 GWhr / year. I believe self sufficient from the windfarm the constant high prevailing wind. (At a cost of millions of euros) About 19.2 tons of CO2 less per year, that's per year not per month, but that's a drop in ocean compared to the carbon out the chimmney in Jinámar which is increasing, probably all these extra plug-in vehicles!

 

[Hayman]

There's quite a bit of industry here, a most of it in Arinaga the biggest poligono industrial. 690 companies electric consumption 30 GWhr / year. I believe self sufficient from the windfarm the constant high prevailing wind. (At a cost of millions of euros) About 19.2 tons of CO2 less per year, that's per year not per month, but that's a drop in ocean compared to the carbon out the chimmney in Jinámar which is increasing, probably all these extra plug-in vehicles!

Perhaps Las Palmas is an ideal place to install one or more of the Rolls Royce small nuclear generating plants. Plenty of sea water for cooling the reactor(s). Exactly how "constant" is the wind at Ariinaga? I would suggest somewhat less constant than what comes out of the Jinámar chimney.

 

[Marc B]

Perhaps Las Palmas is an ideal place to install one or more of the Rolls Royce small nuclear generating plants. Plenty of sea water for cooling the reactor(s). Exactly how "constant" is the wind at Ariinaga? I would suggest somewhat less constant than what comes out of the Jinámar chimney.

Nuclear power, there would probably be a outcry from the local population if anyone suggests it. Whatever political party who's in charge I wouldn't have thought go near the idea would lose big votes. Though I might be wrong.

The wind in this part of island is quite strong and constant. Trees are deformed by it they grow sideways. The wind isn't gusty and variable but it can blow you over if you lose your balance. Pozo Izquierdo is world class windsurfing. Only this part of the island has this constant wind.

 

[Rollo5014]

As I understand it's a kind of listed building. It might be mentioned somewhere in data published by the authorities.
According to Canarias 7 newspaper (in Spainsh) it was a heavy source of contaminaton and many people who worked there had serious illnesses.
I expect the environment authorities understand about environmental impact and are prioritising and managing accordingly. Might be published. The entire site has perimeter fence all around.
There are other pollution problems on the island which they've considered more urgent I guess because frequented by people, like for instance the beach El Confital in Las Palmas which is prone to biological contamination and Las Canteras beach where there's recurring marine life microplastics problem mainly due to tourism industry.

It seems the whole island seems to be peculiar as far as pollution is concerned, for example more and more electric vehicles appear on the roads but they are powered by a fossil fuel power station producing (as I understand) 90% of demand, located in Jinámar valley near the sea. I presume so easy access from oil tanker ships. You can tell where the main source of electricity is simply by counting the number of HV pylons it has. The big wind farm in Arinaga has no pylons at all (suggesting it supplies the local area only), while Jinámar fossil fuel generator has dozens of HV pylons radiating out in different directions to serve different parts of the island. I expect with the increase of electric cars on roads they'll have to build another fossil fuel power plant and more pylons or god forbid nuclear power!

I go to the Confital beach whenever I'm in Las Palmas but didn't realise there is a biological conatmination problem. The only thing I've noted there is the military remains.

 

[Marc B]

In 2017 the Ayuntamiento (Local Council) had taped off access to beach and put up warnings not to enter the sea there. The bacteria level was 8 times the over the maximum permitted. The're not sure the origin the problem, possibly the sewers. They took down the barrier about a year ago but there's still permanantly flying red flag 'prohibited swim' displayed, 5 years later. This is way off the beaten tourist track. There used to be temporary dwellings there until a few decades ago and I'm told there were even shops.

 

[Hayman]

Nuclear power, there would probably be a outcry from the local population if anyone suggests it. Whatever political party who's in charge I wouldn't have thought go near the idea would lose big votes. Though I might be wrong.

The wind in this part of island is quite strong and constant. Trees are deformed by it they grow sideways. The wind isn't gusty and variable but it can blow you over if you lose your balance. Pozo Izquierdo is world class windsurfing. Only this part of the island has this constant wind.

Perhaps ther are rational reasons for wind turbines in the area. But the wind speed certainly drops from the end of May to the start of November. Perhaps the same wind takes away all the nasties from the oil-fired power station. But to where?

 

[Marc B]

The wind from Arinaga Pozo Izquierdo where the wind farm is doesn't quite reach up to Jinámar. But it does blow across lot the big inland town Vecindario.

The island is quite a minicontinent. As you drive around the edge of the island the weather changes, and then on the return trip the changes reverse the order. Most dramatic during winter. Starting from top left clockwise it goes from Sunny but nippy, to sunny, then overcast, to cloudy Las Palmas, to raining, to suddenly not raining, Jinámar to sunny again reaching airport, then sunny and windy , increasing tempersture to very windy and sunny Ariniaga, to less windy and hotter still then no wind and hot maspalomas. And then on the return trip in reverse order. Amazing place.

 

[Hayman]

The wind from Arinaga Pozo Izquierdo where the wind farm is doesn't quite reach up to Jinámar. But it does blow across lot the big inland town Vecindario.

The island is quite a minicontinent. As you drive around the edge of the island the weather changes, and then on the return trip the changes reverse the order. Most dramatic during winter. Starting from top left clockwise it goes from Sunny but nippy, to sunny, then overcast, to cloudy Las Palmas, to raining, to suddenly not raining, Jinámar to sunny again reaching airport, then sunny and windy , increasing tempersture to very windy and sunny Ariniaga, to less windy and hotter still then no wind and hot maspalomas. And then on the return trip in reverse order. Amazing place.

Have you ever tried Melbourne? Four seasons in one day at times!