In addition to the thorough inspection of the raw material, so that it is harmonized with all the specifications of the environmental legislation at national and European level, care is also taken at the stage of timber impregnation. The impregnation process takes place in a closed circuit, making it impossible for any dangerous substances to leak.

Moreover, in order to fully shield the environment and protect it from possible adverse effects from the operation of the industry, ELVIEX decided to take additional environmental measures. In collaboration with a team of experts, the environmental effects of the operation of ELVIEX at each stage of the production were studied and specific measures were proposed, the implementation of which began as early as 1990. These measures concern:

• The construction of a closed watertight warehouse, within an area of 2000 square meters,to store impregnated wood. The floor of the warehouse is made of 30 cm thick cement, so that any leakage of chemicals into the subsoil is impossible.
• The concrete paving, 30 cm thick, of the area around the railway line, within an area of 3000 square meters.
• The installation of an air biofilter to minimize gaseous pollution.

Specifically, the biofilter, the main and most effective measure of environmental protection, was installed in ELVIEX in March 1993 and was connected to three points of the production process:

1. The exhaust hob at the outlet of the furnace to absorb the vapours generated when the impregnated poles exit the impregnation chamber.
2. The tank in which vapours are collected during expansion.
3. The hood that draws air from the barn area.

The air biofilter consists of the following parts:

• The fiberglass filter, to retain the particles.
• The air splash area, to isolate water-soluble components.
• The substrate of the biofilter (3 m long, 1.5 m high, 1.5 m wide) which consists of a mixture of paint, lava and cobs and is impregnated with microorganisms, specialized in the degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons.