Sustainability Report - Antofagasta PLC

Water sources are scarce in the Antofagasta Region and demand is growing
steady with increased local mining investment. Aguas de Antofagasta’s
main environmental challenge is to ensure a continuous and long-term
supply of water. The company has pioneered the use of desalination and we
continue to explore this option to reduce pressure on the scarce natural
water sources located in the mountains, protecting the region’s fragile water
system. Reducing water losses during distribution is central to our
commitment to use resources efficiently and deliver a constant supply of
water to customers. We achieve this by constantly updating and improving
our distribution infrastructure. For instance, in 2011 we introduced a new
technology for monitoring and reducing water leaks. See box.
Environmental management
In February 2011, we achieved ISO 22000 certification for water safety at
Taltal. The standard is designed to improve water safety management through
the supply chain, and we began to implement the standard at our filtering
plants at Salar del Carmen and Cerro Topater, as well as our desalination plant
at La Chimba throughout 2011. Our objective for 2012 is for all our facilities to
gain certification to this standard. If successful, Aguas de Antofagasta would
be the only water and sewage utility in Latin America to have achieved full ISO
22000 accreditation.
All our wastewater treatment and distribution operations are certified to ISO
14001. We have also achieved certification for wastewater collection facilities
in Taltal, Mejillones, Tocopilla and Calama and are working to certify
Antofagasta City in 2013.
Our environmental team tests and monitors our systems to make sure they
can cope in the event of a natural disaster. See page 80.
We had one environmental incident in March 2011. An unprecedented rise in
Aguas de Antofagasta 81
sea temperature resulted in an algae bloom, causing desalinated potable water to
have an unpleasant odour. Water remained safe for human consumption but the
company decided to stop supplying water from the desalination plant until the
problem was solved four days later. We regret any inconvenience caused to
customers and we ensured that those affected were supplied with drinking water
from alternative sources. The company has been fined following the incident and
we are now in the process of appealing against the fine.
To prevent this happening again, we added a new step to the desalination
process so that drinking water is aired, helping to control the smell. The
company also shared information with the scientific community and others in
the desalination industry to help them deal with this problem.
We adjusted our procedures for handling hazardous waste to comply with new
regulations that came into effect in April 2011. Through our waste separation
and recycling programmes, in 2011 we recycled 2 tons of paper and
cardboard, half a ton of plastic, 30kg of tin and 78kg, of printing toners and we
produced 53kg of compost used to fertilise the site’s botanical garden.
Energy and climate change
Aguas de Antofagasta aims to improve energy efficiency and reduce use of
fuel and electricity. Desalinating sea water is the most energy-intensive part of
our operations. Our electricity consumption increased to just over 5,000 MWh
in 2011, a 12% increase compared with 2010.
In 2011 fuel consumption was reduced by 8.3%, mainly because old vehicles
in the company’s fleet were replaced with newer and more efficient vehicles.
We report our emissions through the Carbon Disclosure Project and monitor
the carbon dioxide emissions of our administrative services as well as our
operations.
Overview
Sustainability at Antofagasta Antofagasta Minerals Antofagasta Railway Company Aguas de Antofagasta Appendices