Sant Celoni

infobox catalan municipio

|arms=
province=Barcelona
comarca=Vallès Oriental
population=16,740
population_year=2007
area=64,4
population_density=330
elevation=152
demonym="n/a"

Sant Celoni is a municipality in the "comarca" of the Vallès Oriental in
Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the valley of the Tordera river between the ranges of Montseny and Montnegre. The main part of the town is on the left bank of the river. The former municipalities of Montnegre and Olzinelles now form part of the municipality of sant Celoni, which is the largest in the "comarca" in terms of area. The municipality is served by the A-7 "autopista" and the C-251 road, as well as by a station on the RENFE railway line between Barcelona and Girona.

History

The town of Sant Celoni was named after chapel built towards the 11th century at the foot of the river Pertegàs. Sant Celoni is the translation from the Latin "Sanctum Celedonium" and "Sancti Celedonii", which refers to Saint Celedonius. There have been many variations on the name through the centuries: "Sancti Celidonia, Sant Celdoni, Sent Salony, Sanseloni, San Celoni."foto sant celoni http://blog.iespana.es/santcelonifoto

Industry

The town has an important chemical industry, which is also a major source of local pollution and environmental risks. These risks include tanker transport of hazardous chemicals along the nearby A-7 motorway and air pollution. Given that Sant Celoni is located just a few kilometers away from [http://www.diba.es/parcsn/parcs/plana.asp?parc=3&m=197&o=2 Montseny national park] , there is also scope for environmental damage to the unique Mediterranean and Alpine habitats found in the massif.

The siting of major chemical facilities close to the town center reveals lack of planning and poses dangers to the local population.

Major environmental incidents include:

"'1996 June 1Unión Química Farmacéutica, S. A. (Uquifa, S. A.)"'

Massive chlorine release following mixing of Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) and hydrochloric acid. One death and 93 others affected ( [http://www.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-15-06-2004/abc/Catalunya/los-cuatro-acusados-por-la-nube-toxica-de-uquifa-aseguran-que-cumplian-la-normativa_9622035958498.html source - in Spanish)] )

"'1996 - 2000 Cray Valley Ibérica (formerly Resisa)"'

Contamination of the aquifers along the River Tordera with Dioxanes and Dioxolanes. The water supply for the town of Blanes was rendered undrinkable as a result of the pollution [http://www.consumer.es/web/es/medio_ambiente/2005/03/30/140774.php (source - in Spanish)]

Demography

infobox catalan municipio demography
pop_1900=3,301
pop_1930=4,192
pop_1950=4,923
pop_1970=9,325
pop_1986=11,275
pop_2001=14,081
pop_latest=16,181
latest_year=2006

Communications

The town of Sant Celoni has good communication links. The AP-7 motorway, the C-35 trunk road, and a railway link Sant Celoni to the rest of Catalonia and France. There is also a reasonable bus network.

References

* Panareda Clopés, Josep Maria; Rios Calvet, Jaume; Rabella Vives, Josep Maria (1989). "Guia de Catalunya", Barcelona:Caixa de Catalunya. ISBN 84-87135-01-3 (Spanish). ISBN 84-87135-02-1 (Catalan).