Mining and Sustainable Development II - DTIE

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Mining In parallel with this evolution of “control systems” has been the development and use of a number of practical environmental management systems and tools. Some of these have been described in a previous issue of Industry and Environment. 3 Environmental management systems (EMS) have now been adopted by many leading mining companies, although very few have formally certified these under the ISO 14001 standard. An EMS results in a much more systematic and cost-effective approach to an environmental programme than simply taking ad hoc actions on high-profile problems. An EMS is virtually a necessity if a truly preventive approach is to be adopted as it formalizes the actions and contribution from non-environmental “mainstream business” activities of a company. An EMS is also becoming a popular tool for ensuring environmental management along the supply chain as it provides a convenient environmental performance label on other businesses with which a mining company may wish to deal. 4 While this practice is becoming more common in business, industry has nevertheless opposed the use of ISO 14000 as a regulatory requirement by government. Main Elements of ISO 14001 The six key elements of an environmental management system (EMS) are: ◆ An environmental policy in which the organization states its intentions and commitment to environmental performance; ◆ Planning in which the organization analysis the environmental impact of its operations; ◆ Implementation and operation: the development and putting into practice of processes that will bring about environmental goals and objectives; ◆ Checking and corrective action: monitoring and measurement of environmental indicators to ensure that goals and objectives are being met; ◆ Management review: review of the EMS by the organization’s top management to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness; and ◆ Continuous improvement. 5 Compiling and synthesizing reliable information for decision making has also become more formalized. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the best known and most widely applied assessment tool, and is particularly applicable to large mining projects in the planning stage. There is a large community of EIA consultants and advisers to assist in compiling the reports. However, company managers often lack experience in effectively managing the integration of such reports into the entire project cycle of a mine. EIA has too often come to be regarded only as a regulatory hurdle – necessary to obtain government approval – rather than as a project optimization tool, despite its obvious benefits to this end (the more so considering the cost and timing of an EIA). Companies 30 ◆ UNEP Industry and Environment – Special issue 2000 Goal and scope definition (ISO 14041) Inventory analysis (ISO 14041) Impact assessment (ISO 14042) Figure 1 Steps of LCA according to ISO Interpretation (ISO 14043) Application would benefit by keeping the EIA report as a living document to guide environmental decisionmaking during the operational and closure phases of a mine. EIA still needs to be interfaced with other dayto-day environmental management tools such as EMS, auditing environmental, reporting and so on. Finally, it can be observed that while much teaching and training is taking place to improve EMS skills of experts, the average mining professional is rarely taught how to manage the EIA process within his company. 6 Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is another tool which is becoming more important for companies that are examining the implications of their products at the end-use in society. There is a large body of knowledge of LCA procedure and practice. 7 However, practical applications can be complex and subject to numerous assumptions. UNEP and SETAC 8 have recently launched an initiative to improve transportability of data. Even in the absence of quantitative results, the LCA process can lead to valuable insights into the environmental performance of mineral and metal products thus helping companies and governments in making strategic long-term decisions about the direction of future investments and operations (Figure 1). A further assessment tool that has yet to realize its full potential is Environmental technology assessment (EnTA). This is a systematic way of evaluating the environmental implication of a technology option, before it is put in place (Figure 2). EnTA follows a similar logic to EIA and LCA in its methodology, but being non-site or productspecific, it can easily deal with an entire technology concept (for example, heap leaching or submarine tailings disposal) as well as specific plant items. A simplified EnTA procedure is shown above. While the procedure is relatively straightforward, a guidance manual for EnTA application has recently been developed by UNEP. In February 2000 this manual was pilot tested by UNEP and its partners on cyanide and battery recycling technologies respectively and is now available for trialling on a more widespread basis. Depending on the initial scoping exercise, EnTA can be applied at a variety of levels, by a range of interested stakeholders, including technology purchasers, assessment bodies and regulatory agencies, and even by the general public when sufficient information is available. While the assessment procedures above compile information for decision-making in advance of development of a mine, auditing and public reporting track the progress that an operating mine is making on its environmental objectives. Environmental audits may cover a range of issues and situations including discharges and emissions, land degradation, hazardous installations, impact on biodiversity and land use, chemical risks and so on. A full environmental audit is also a prerequisite for the establishment of an EMS. Procedures for environmental audits are available from many sources, including ISO 14011. 9 While audits may be performed completely inhouse, some companies prefer to include outside experts on their audit team to bring a fresh look at various aspects of their operation. Public environmental reporting has become a more common practice among major mining companies and some recent reports have achieved a high degree of sophistication. However, there has not been time to develop a standard approach, common indicators, and a uniform format to such reports. It is therefore difficult to compare the performance of different companies, or to obtain an overview of progress in the mining sector overall. With the evolution of the environmental agenda to include other new elements, some companies are starting to produce “sustainable development” reports where social and ethical issues are included. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 10 was recently launched by UNEP and a consortium of partners to standardize the reporting format across the entire sustainability agenda, including environmental, social and economic indicators into a single public report. It should be noted that GRI, and indeed environmental reporting itself, is seen by most stakeholders as a voluntary public statement of a company’s position. It does not replace mandatory reporting to Government authorities under the conditions of its operating permit or license. An additional tool that major mines are now starting to use is a systematic approach to emergency prevention and preparedness. There is increasing interest in using the APELL process (Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level) which was developed by UNEP with other selected partners in the early 1990s, in particular the chemicals industry. APELL is especially focussed on securing neighbouring communities around a mine against potential hazards from tailings structures, accidental cyanide release, chemical spills, ground subsidence and so on. The APELL process consists of ten steps: 1. Identify the emergency response participants and establish their roles, resources, and concerns.
Mining 2. Evaluate the hazards and risks that may result in emergency situations in the community. 3. Have participants review their own emergency response plans to ensure a coordinated response. 4. Identify the required response tasks not covered by existing plans. 5. Match these tasks to the resources of the identified participants. 6. Make the changes necessary to improve existing plans, integrate them into an overall community plan, and gain agreement. 7. Commit the integrated community plan to writing and obtain approval from local governments. 8. Educate participating groups about the integrated plan and ensure that all emergency responders are trained. 9. Establish procedures for periodic testing, review, and updating of the plan. 10. Educate the community about the integrated plan. The APELL process has two major outcomes: awareness and preparedness against risks of neighboring communities; and more effective, coordinated emergency response procedures put in place ahead of possible accidents. It is based on a multistakeholder dialogue and negotiations to identify hazards, prepare a response plan and communicate the results. Achieving these outcomes naturally also results in an actual reduction of risk at mining facilities to the benefit of both workers and the public. UNEP has published extensive guidelines on the APELL process, and the publication of an APELL Handbook for the mining sector is expected during 2001. 11 Notes: 1 Mineral Resources Forum-Environment, www. natural-resources.org/environment Figure 2 Environmental Technology Assessment (EnTA) 1 Describe the Technology 2 Describe the Associated Support Technologies and Infrastructure 3 Identify Environmental Impacts of the Technology, Support Technology and Infrastructure 4 Regulatory Requirements, Compliance and Assessment 5 Compare Alternative Technologies 6 Identify Systems Alternatives 7 Identify Economic and Social Impacts 8 Prepare Summary Report 2 UNEP Technical Report 40: Voluntary Industry Codes of Conduct for the Environment; Industry and Environment Vol 21, No. 1-2, Jan- June 1998 3 UNEP Industry and Environment, Environmental Management Tools, Vol. 18, No. 2-3, April-September 1995 4 References on EMS, incl. UNEP references and publications BPEM 5 References on EMS, incl. UNEP EMS Training Kit and other documents and publication on EMS in BPEM and EMS article in previous Industry & Environment 6 UNEP Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Training Manual, www.environment.gov.au/epg/ eianet/manual.html; International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA, www. iaia.org), Best Practice in Environmental Management (BPEM) in Mining Program, www.environment.gov.au/ ssg/bpem.html. 7 Towards the Global Use of Life Cycle Assessment, 1999 UNEP; Life Cycle Assessment: What is it and How to do it? 1996 UNEP 8 Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, SETAC Office, 1010 North 12 th Ave, Pensacola, FL 32501-3367, USA, email:setac@ setac.org 9 From I&E, Vol II, No.4, 1988, Figure 1, page 16, Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining (www.environment.gov.au/net/bpem. html) 10 www.globalreporting.org 11 see related article in this publication. Also relevant use the Proceedings of the Workshop on Risk Management and Contingency Planning in the Management of Mine Tailings, Buenos Aires, Nov.5-6, 1998, published by ICME and UNEP and BPEM Guidelines on Risk Management. ◆ UNEP Industry and Environment – Special issue 2000 ◆ 31
Page 1 and 2: UNEP ISSN 0378-9993 Industry and En
Page 3 and 4: E d i t o r i a l Editorial Mining
Page 5 and 6: Mining Figure 2 Major metal product
Page 7 and 8: Mining Table 2 The world’s 50 lar
Page 9 and 10: Mining Activities Programme in the
Page 11 and 12: Mining Mined Output (% of total val
Page 13 and 14: Mining the Western economies (prima
Page 15 and 16: Mining centration levels between me
Page 17 and 18: Mining resources), human-made capit
Page 19 and 20: Mining does not easily incorporate
Page 21 and 22: Mining address these issues where g
Page 23 and 24: Mining 2. Profile of Reporting Orga
Page 25 and 26: Mining Mining Industry Report Compa
Page 27 and 28: Mining • assist members in meetin
Page 29: Mining time-scales required to judg
Page 33 and 34: Mining States 1 ; the World Conserv
Page 35 and 36: Mining (AMEEF) Environmental Manage
Page 37 and 38: Mining mercury levels from the cont
Page 39 and 40: Mining Rehabilitation measures: wat
Page 41 and 42: Mining liques inorganiques en phase
Page 43 and 44: Mining in the context of mining as
Page 45 and 46: Mining most countries, but often on
Page 47 and 48: Mining Environmental impacts of tra
Page 49 and 50: Mining competing interests and need
Page 51 and 52: Mining ronment? Third, what lessons
Page 53 and 54: Mining miners are already at work.
Page 55 and 56: Mining funding life cycle of a mini
Page 57 and 58: Mining Social issues Mining and the
Page 59 and 60: Mining indigenous traditions and cu
Page 61 and 62: Mining ticipants in that workshop r
Page 63 and 64: Mining Mining and indigenous people
Page 65 and 66: Mining Key Recommendations from the
Page 67 and 68: Mining despite great improvements,
Page 69 and 70: Mining between NGOs and the public
Page 71 and 72: Mining The case for auditing and ce
Page 73 and 74: Mining of local relevant mining leg
Page 75 and 76: Mining Tailings dams In order to re
Page 77 and 78: Mining structures that are specific
Page 79 and 80: Mining Il est difficile de ne pas f
Page 81 and 82:
Mining Cas où le coût de l’extr
Page 83 and 84:
Mining Voluntary non-regulatory and
Page 85 and 86:
Mining stances by the year 2000. Re
Page 87 and 88:
Mining Viewpoints on future challen
Page 89 and 90:
Mining Selection of World Heritage
Page 91 and 92:
Mining area agencies and managers h
Page 93 and 94:
Mining ◆ Aprovechar racionalmente
Page 95 and 96:
THE UNEP DIVISION OF TECHNOLOGY, IN
show all

Mining and Sustainable Development II - DTIE

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?