Hydro Annual Report 2011b

56
vIABIlItY perForMAnCe
Integrity and human rights
Spent potlining
Metric tons
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
2007
2008
2009
Figures include historic SPL production from current operations.
2010
2011
The amount of SPL was equal to 15 percent of our amount of
hazardous waste and there are continuous efforts to extend the
life of potlining. In 2011, we established a project to identify a
viable solution for the carbon part of SPL. Our ambition is to
map different industrial processes that can benefit from SPL,
then market it and make it commercially available to e.g. the
cement and mineral wool industries.
Emissions
We have achieved significant emission reductions over the years.
The major achievements are related to greenhouse gases as well
as dust and particle emissions. The closure of our former Søderberg
lines has reduced plant emissions of PAH, greenhouse
gases, dust, particles and fluoride. In the last five years, our emissions
of fluoride and PAH to air, per metric ton of primary aluminium
produced, have decreased by 20 and 66 percent,
respectively. With our new assets in Brazil, Hydro’s SO 2 and
NO X emissions have increased significantly. SO 2 emissions were
29,356 mt in 2011, while NO X emissions were 9,037 mt.
The enlargement of the wastewater treatment plant in Grevenbroich,
Germany, initiated in 2010, led in 2011 to reductions
in the chemicals needed in the process and to a clear reduction
in the contaminants charged. As a response to neighborhood
claims regarding odor, we initiated a dialogue with local stakeholders
on a regular basis in the Grevenbroich plant. Measures
were agreed upon and an internal project, “Odor emissions in
Barrenstein”, was set up.
Product stewardship
Hydro is in dialogue with customers and other stakeholders
when it comes to the environmental impact of our processes
and products. We perform life-cycle assessments (LCAs) of all
major product groups to identify improvement potential, perform
benchmarking and assist our product developers and
customers regarding environmental footprint considerations.
We also continuously assess other aspects such as energy and
material consumption, toxicity and recyclability.
The big tea light hunt
The big tea light hunt in Norway, arranged by IKEA and WWF with
Hydro as one of the partners, is more than about collecting the
aluminium cups from used tea lights for recycling. It is also about
creating good attitudes among the 23,000 six-to-10-year-old pupils
who are participating. And it is about the attitudes the children
demand from their networks – close family, grandparents and
neighbors. By the beginning of 2012, the children had collected
more than 4 million used tea lights.
Hydro has entered into cooperation with the Norwegian University
of Science and Technology (NTNU), focusing on the
development of a mass-flow analysis model (MfA), with particular
attention paid to long-term changes in aluminium use
and its implications for the environment.
Over the past two decades, Hydro and other aluminium companies
have developed a pan-European network of national
initiatives to promote and recycle aluminium packaging.
Many of these national activities are focusing on education
and have developed projects with primary and secondary
schools, and with universities to stimulate the next generation
to make their contribution to a better environment. The most
recent show case is Romania. Here, Hydro and other aluminium
companies launched “Aluminium Can Recycling Romania
– Alucro” together with a can manufacturer. In 2011,
children’s information and education regarding environmental
protection, and saving resources and energy through the recycling
of used aluminium beverage cans, took place in over 100
schools, reaching more than 90,000 pupils.
Human rights, working conditions, integrity and community
impact throughout our value chain is also a part of our product
stewardship approach.
Integrity and human rights
We have zero tolerance of corruption and human rights violations.
If non-conformities are registered, our policy is to demonstrate
openness and learn from negative experiences.
Hydro’s overall CSR strategy was reviewed in 2011. The strategy
is built upon four pillars:
• Integrity and anti-corruption
• Community and stakeholder engagement
• Human rights
• Supply chain and product stewardship