ADM publishes the 1st edition of its sustainable development report
Hibapress
The national company of Autoroutes du Maroc (ADM) published, on Monday, the first edition of its 2022 sustainable development report.
Entitled “Motorways in Morocco: an inclusive and sustainable management model”, this report notably reviews the results of the Green, Azur and Community programs at the end of 2022, as well as other actions carried out by ADM.
“The highway to a sustainable future is taking shape through our commitment to balancing economic efficiency, innovation, environmental responsibility and social well-being, thus guiding each kilometer traveled towards a horizon of sustainability”, affirmed the General Director of the national company of Motorways of Morocco, Anouar Benazzouz, cited in the report.
And added: “This first edition of the sustainable development activity report traces our contribution, and we continue to make progress in line with the New Development Model, the Kingdom's national strategies and its international commitments.”
As part of its green program, ADM's action focused on compensatory reforestation, landscaping of highway outbuildings and the preservation of natural resources, indicates the report, specifying that 939,800 trees were planted , with a reforested area of 1,955 Ha at the end of 2022.
The compensatory reforestation concerned all the highways built, with areas which largely exceeded the deforested areas and which, in the case of cork oak, reached 20 times more than the deforested area, reports the same source.
Concerning the landscaping of motorway outbuildings (service areas, toll stations, central reservation, embankment, interchanges), it has always been part of any infrastructure project with a choice of palette adapted to the regions crossed by the network highway, requiring a minimum of watering and maintenance, notes ADM, reporting a total of 2,895,518 trees and shrubs including different plant species adapted to the regions crossed.
The said report also sheds light on the “Al Ard” program, the results of which include 35 Ha of embankments treated by seeding, 150,000 plants produced annually intended to fix the soil on the highway embankments after operation of the nursery set up in collaboration with the National Institute of Agronomic Research (INRA) and 10,000 man-days of work created, following the development of additional activities.
In terms of preserving natural resources and biodiversity, ADM reports on the treatment of wastewater from service areas and reuse in watering green spaces, dry compaction (innovative construction technique for motorway structures which has enabled the saving of 4 million m3) and the pretreatment of rainwater at the level of the current section in oil separator basins before discharge into the natural environment.
It also involves the recycling of materials for road maintenance work, the implementation of digital administrative processes and the optimization of consumption which resulted in a reduction of 2,060,500 A4 sheets of paper in 2022. compared to 2019, i.e. 81% reduction.
In terms of biodiversity, ADM has taken care to preserve the natural plant palette in the environments crossed and its use in the area, to participate in programs to preserve endangered species in collaboration with the High Commission for Water and Forests. (Great Bustard and Andalusian Turnix) and to provide passage corridors for small wildlife at highway level through hydraulic structures.
Regarding the “Azur” program, which concerns the energy aspect, ADM has implemented concrete initiatives such as the installation of photovoltaic panels at 4 sites and the replacement of traditional lighting with LED systems. .
“These actions demonstrate the concern to reduce the environmental footprint by using renewable energy sources. By opting for photovoltaic panels, ADM contributes to the production of green energy while reducing its dependence on fossil fuels,” notes the report.
And to specify that 50% of the sites are equipped with LED lighting for their public lighting and 4 ADM toll stations are autonomous during the day through the use of solar energy (photovoltaic panels).
As for electric mobility, ADM has set up an interurban network of charging stations for electric vehicles, with a localization rate of 90% on the Tangier-Agadir axis. The average distance between each terminal is 26 kilometers.
This concrete action demonstrates its commitment to promoting more environmentally friendly mobility.
Furthermore, ADM recalled that the implementation, since 2008 in partnership with the Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports, of the J/Young Hopes Program, supporting rural schools bordering the motorway network.
Action in this context continues in 2022 with the improvement of health conditions and access to digital resources for the benefit of nearly 3,600 students thanks to the rehabilitation operations carried out in 10 neighboring schools, the reconstruction of the school neighboring primary school “Larbi Batma”, with the creation and equipment of a digital class, as part of the construction project of the new “Mahraa Benabbou” interchange.
In terms of raising awareness of motorway safety, ADM, in partnership with the El Boughaz Association of Heavy Goods Drivers (ABCPL), launched the first “Iftar” operation during the month of Ramadan 2022 for the benefit of heavy goods vehicle drivers ( PL) to emphasize the importance of taking breaks on the motorway, particularly during the holy month when lack of sleep and reduced alertness while driving could pose a risk of accidents. In addition, the company produced and distributed in 2020, then relaunched in 2022, the first educational series dedicated to motorway safety, called #whna_ fl'autoroute, which targets improving the driving behavior of drivers on motorways.
