International Aluminium Institute

aluminium industrys

the

development
report

sustainable

Published by

INTERNATIONAL ALUMINIUM INSTITUTE

New Zealand House, Haymarket, London SW1Y 4TE Tel: +44 (0) 20 7930 0528 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7321 0183 Email: iai@world-aluminium.org Website: www.world-aluminium.org

Designed and Produced by The Swallow House Group of Companies - Tel: +44 (0) 20 8505 4048

INTRODUCTION What is sustainable development? Why industry needs to take it seriously Financial implications Commercial Benefits EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Aluminiums contribution to sustainable modern living International Representation Life Cycle Energy Efficiency Greenhouse Gases Reduction Ongoing challenges facing the industry on the road to sustainable development Legacy for future generations IMPLEMENTATION OF THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Economic Dimension The Structure of the Industry Contribution to the overall economy Contribution to Global Food Supply Job Creation Environmental Dimension Introduction Land Use Energy Efficiency Energy Supply Water Use Control of Fluoride Emissions Greenhouse Gases Reduction Aluminium in Transport - A Success Story Recycling Social Dimension Stakeholder Engagement Safety and Health Public Safety Health and Fitness Community Health Care Projects Safety of the Motorist Mobility Community Care Training and Education
The information contained in this report is based upon data submitted by the operating companies that have participated in the production of the report and has not been verified by the IAI. For more information about our publications and links to our Member Companies and the National and Regional Associations please visit our website at www.world-aluminium.org.

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12 12 14 14 15 16 17 17 19

20 21 22 22 23 23 23 24 24

Means of Implementation Greenhouse Gas Reduction Future Approach to Sustainable Development

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contents

INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?
territorial development. Sir Mark Moody Stuart, former Chairman of Shell, points out that unless a business is seen as a useful and constructive member of society it will suffer.

The Brundtland Commission of the 1980s defined the concept of sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The World Business Council for A companys approach to sustainable development Sustainable Development has defined it as ensurcould affect share value and a companys standing. ing a better quality of life for everyone, for now and For example the Dow Jones Sustainability Group for generations to come. It combines economic, Index measures the performance of industrial comsocial and environmental concerns, (often called panies according to criteria the triple bottom line) and for social responsibility and offers business opportuni"Meeting the needs of the present, sustainable development. ties for companies that can without compromising the ability of They assert that companies improve the lives of the future generations to meet their own which are conscious of susworlds population. needs." tainability not only manage the standard economic facThe Chairman of IAI tors affecting their business, but also the environmember Norsk Hydro, Egil Myklebust, has mental and social factors as well. There is mountexplained that his company and business in genering evidence that their financial performance is al needs a balanced interaction, so that economy, superior to that of companies that do not adequateenvironment, and social responsibility support and ly, correctly and optimally manage these important strengthen each other. As we pursue excellence in factors. business performance and growth, to create value

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

for our shareholders, we will recognize the legitimate interests of other stakeholders: our employees, local communities, our customers, our suppliers and society at large. It is this triple ambition economy, environment and social responsibility we label sustainable conduct. For industry, the concern for the environment involves reducing the consumption of resources. This includes minimising the use of energy, materials, water and land, while enhancing recyclability and product durability. It also means reducing the impact on nature by minimising air emissions, water discharges, waste disposal and the dispersion of toxic substances.

COMMERCIAL BENEFITS
There can also be tangible commercial benefits in terms of cost savings, protection of the companys license to operate, conservation and efficiency. It can also be used as a means of improving and enhancing a companys reputation, branding and marketing as well as a means of improving stakeholder relations and perceptions. Aluminiums profile is probably better adapted than many other materials to take on the challenge of sustainable development. Aluminium stands to benefit from the triple bottom line or sustainable development approach. Its real impact on the environment can only be judged in terms of a full cradle to gate life cycle analysis, a methodology embodied in the sustainable development approach. Aluminium, because of its characteristics, has the potential to do well when measured against sustainable development criteria. It is a material which can be profitably recycled without loss of quality, for use by future generations. It is its recyclability, as well as its applications, which justify the significant energy required initially to produce primary aluminium.

WHY INDUSTRY NEEDS TO TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

Governments, International Organisations, like UNEP and the OECD, and Environmental NGOs are pressing industry to take sustainable development seriously. For example the EU Commissions Strategy focuses on six key issues which include climate change and clean energy, public health, the management of natural resources, land use and
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
ALUMINIUMS CONTRIBUTION TO SUSTAINABLE MODERN LIVING
Aluminium is a young and modern metal. It has only been produced on an industrial scale since 1886, when Hall and Hroult independently disare light, strong and have unique barrier and insulation qualities. It preserves food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical products by protecting them from ultra-violet light, odours and bacteria. Packaging of all types, including aluminium, saves about 30% of the worlds food from wastage. Less than an ounce of aluminium sprayed on a polymer forms a thin heat-reflecting sheet that can keep a new born baby warm or save the life of someone on an exposed mountain top. Aluminium has a particular advantage for use in arctic climates, as it retains all its performance properties at low temperatures.

CONSTRUCTION
AF RI

PACKAGING

TRANSPORTATION

CHINA RUSSIA OCEANIA

EAST/CENTRAL EU ROPE

CA

Aluminiums Major Applications

covered how to produce aluminium through electrolysis. In 1900 annual output of aluminium was one thousand tonnes. By the end of the twentieth century annual production had reached 32 million tonnes, comprising 24 million tonnes of primary aluminium and 8 million tonnes from recycled metal. This makes aluminium the worlds second most used metal. A world without aluminium has become unimaginable. The business traveller, the tourist and the freight company are dependent on aluminium, as the commercial aviation and space industries would never have achieved lift off without it. The metal makes a key contribution to fuel-efficient engines in cars and trucks as well as to high speed rail and sea travel. By reducing the vehicles weight it cuts down on fuel consumption and emissions, without compromising the size or the safety of the vehicles. Aluminium facilitates the construction of corrosion-resistant and low maintenance buildings. Around the world, most long distance overhead transmission and distribution lines are made of aluminium. Aluminium in packaging preserves food quality, reduces waste and provides convenience for the users. It can be rolled into ultra-thin foils, which

ELE CTR ICA L

OTHERS

NORTH AMERICA LATIN AMERICA

WEST EUROPE

ASIA

Production Capacity by Region

The aluminium industry directly employs over a million people worldwide and indirectly generates four times as many jobs in downstream and service industries.

INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION
As aluminium is a global commodity the industry has adopted a global approach to sustainable development issues through its international body, the International Aluminium Institute (IAI). The Institute currently has 21 member companies representing almost every continent. The split of total primary aluminium production between OECD and non-OECD countries is roughly 50:50. Together the member companies produce around 60% of the worlds primary aluminium and a significant proportion of the worlds recycled metal. The IAI is involving the Chinese and Russian producers in its programme activities and aims to bring the Institutes coverage to around 90% of world production. The compact structure of the industry facilitates the gathering of global performance data and the spreading of good practice
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Location of Aluminium Smelters

through benchmarking. As a result the IAI is already monitoring and reporting on a number of widely used sustainable development indicators such as energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and safety performance. Since 1997 the IAI has collected comprehensive benchmarking data on safety performance in the global aluminium industry and information is shared on accidents, near misses and their causes. Such benchmarking data is a driving force for continual improvement. Many companies have a policy of zero accidents as their target. The IAIs Health Committee plans to collect global statistics on occupational illness and benchmark performance. These statistics will be regularly updated. The aluminium industry has a number of elements in its current environment, health and safety programmes which would enable it to become a pioneer in the field of global industrial reporting on sustainable development. The IAI is also currently: Q Working to produce global scrap and recycling statistics which will help identify the scope for increased recycling; Q Publishing annual global surveys of the aluminium industrys energy consumption; Q Publishing an annual global survey of the industrys PFC emissions and PFC reduction performance, backed up by benchmarking
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graphs and training seminars, to encourage plants to match the best performers; Conducting regular surveys of land use for bauxite mining and rehabilitation and reporting the results every five years; Collecting annual accident statistics globally and issuing global benchmarking reports to encourage participating companies to match the best performance of their colleagues; Collecting data on the industrys global economic contribution.

The Institute sees sustainable development as a tool for satisfying stakeholder concerns and measuring business performance. Examples of global performance indicators on health, environment, safety, energy consumption and production are illustrated by the graphs opposite:

LIFE CYCLE
The IAI Board of Directors tasked the Institute with developing as complete an understanding as possible of the positive and negative contributions that aluminium makes to the environmental and economic well-being of the worlds population during the entire life cycle of the material. An adequate knowledge of aluminiums environmental impacts is an essential foundation for the aluminium industrys

Global Performance Indicators

Global metallurgical alumina production
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Global energy for metallurgical alumina production Megajoules per kg Alumina

14

Millions of Tonnes

38 36 34 32 30
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

13

12

11
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Global primary production

30

Global electric energy for electrolysis

17

Millions of Tonnes

kWh per kg Al
1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

25 20 15 10 0
1990

16

15

14
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Global electrolysis greenhouse gas emissions

Specific CF4 Emissions (Percent of 1990 Baseline) 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Figures are CO2-equivalents related to the electrolysiss and included PFC emissions

Global specific PFC emissions

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

kg CO2-eq per kg Al

Development of fluoride emissions

16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Consumption of fluoride
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000
Figures constitute losses to air, water, spent potlinings and waste at a representative smelter.

kg F per tonne Al

Not global figures but describe the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations of aluminium smelting technology

Global injury rates and lost time severity

30 25
RECORDABLE INJURY RATE

kg F per tonne Al

20 15 10
LOST TIME INJURY RATE SEVERITY RATE (DAYS LOST)

5 0
1997 1998 1999
Rates given per million hours worked

200 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0

2000

Severity rate (Days Lost)

Injury Rates

SCRAP COLLECTION

SECONDARY SMELTING

PRODUCT LINE

POWER GENERATION

BAUXITE EXTRACTION

ALUMINA REFINING

PRIMARY SMELTING

PROCESSING; Rolling Extrusion etc

MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY

Aluminium Production and Life Cycle

effort at continuous improvement. The Institutes Life Cycle Committee is working to complete a full life cycle analysis over four years, covering all the main applications. This work is supported by advisory committees composed of experts (from member companies and aluminium associations) on environment and energy, life cycles, health and global health, safety and global recycling. The 20 regional and national aluminium associations from around the world represent every segment of the industry and take a leading part in promoting these initiatives by incorporating them into their local action programmes. So far reports have been published on the use of aluminium in automobiles and construction.These can be found on the IAIs website (www.world-aluminium.org). Reports covering packaging and road/rail transport are being prepared. The quality of the life cycle data and analysis is scrutinised by an independent panel of leading life cycle experts. Aluminium stands to benefit from the sustainable development approach because its real impact on the environment can only be judged in terms of a full cradle-to-grave life cycle analysis. It is a sustainable material, whose recyclability and applications justify the high energy requirement of primary aluminium production. During an automobiles construction a kilogram of aluminium can replace two kilograms of conventional heavier materials, thus contributing to the reduction of the
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vehicles weight and therefore its fuel consumption. This means that, over the vehicles lifetime, every kilogram of aluminium used saves the equivalent of twenty kilograms of CO2. Current estimates show that globally there will be, by the year 2020, a 35% increase in CO2 emissions from all vehicles. An increased use of aluminium would reduce this figure to 28%, helping to make the transportation sector more sustainable.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The fact that energy represents a large part (some 25%) of the costs associated with primary aluminium production means that producers have always had a vested interest in minimising electricity consumption. The IAI publishes an annual Survey of Global Energy Consumption, which has, over the years, recorded a considerable reduction in energy consumption per tonne of aluminium produced. Smelters in the 1990s used a third less electricity per tonne than equivalent plant in the 1950s and that trend of improving energy efficiency continues today. The IAI seeks to encourage continuing improvement in energy efficiency by circulating energy benchmarking statistics. These enable smelters to improve their performance by comparing it with the best energy consumption figures achieved by smelters around the world, with the same technol-

35 30
Million Tonnes

25 20 15 10 5 0
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 1999

World Aluminium Usage 1950-1999

Primary Production

Scrap Recovery

Total Usage

ogy. The lightness of aluminium products contributes to fuel savings and reductions in emissions. Air, rail and road transport all benefit from these savings, both directly and as a result of aluminium packaging and materials being lighter than other materials. Energy costs are also an incentive for the industry to optimise its recycling at a time when some governments are introducing compulsory recycling for cars and packaging. Recycling requires only 5% of the energy and produces only 5% of the CO2 emissions compared with primary production. Recycled metal already satisfies around a third of world demand for aluminium and it is an ever growing proportion of total aluminium production. Aluminium is an energy bank - the original energy input can be recovered again and again every time the product is recycled. Aluminium can be recycled profitably and repeatedly without loss in quality. Many products, for example automotive castings, are made mainly from recycled metal.

GREENHOUSE GASES REDUCTION IN THE FORM OF PERFLUOROCARBONS (PFCs)

Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) are produced during brief upset conditions of the electrolysis process and the Institute carries out annual surveys of these emissions. It also sends out benchmarking reports, allowing individual plants to compare their performance with other de-identified plants which use the same technology. The Industry has also appointed a PFC Consultant to hold seminars and carry out measurement programmes to encourage the wider adoption of good operating practices. The preliminary results of the IAI surveys for the years 1998, 1999 and 2000 for IAI member companies reporting anode effect data indicate a continuing declining trend with PFC emissions, as carbon dioxide equivalents, reduced by 60% per tonne of production since 1990. Those companies responding to requests for anode effect data increased from 61% of the worlds primary aluminium production in 1990 to 66% in 2000. Worldwide estimates of PFC emissions have been based on an extrapolation of the IAI survey data using knowledge of the reduction technologies at those facilities which have not reported anode effect data. These results show that, while worldwide aluminium production has
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Q Q

used as leading indicators of progress; Developing performance indicators on the social aspects of sustainability; Encouraging an industry wide approach to sustainability through awareness training, benchmarking, monitoring and reporting.

Aluminium producers are continuing to develop their own models of sustainability which they are integrating into daily company operational management practice. Many examples are to be found in the main report.

Bales of crushed aluminium cans

LEGACY FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

There is no cause for concern over possible depletion or exhaustion of the raw material, as 7.3% of the earths crust is made up of aluminium compounds. The known reserves of high quality bauxite, the ore from which most aluminium is produced, are sufficient to provide over 300 years supply. The use of mineral resources for the production of aluminium is quite modest. Between 4 and 5 tonnes of bauxite are required to produce one tonne of aluminium. Apart from evaluating the size of the available mineral reserves, it is also important to take account of the metals recyclability when considering the fair distribution of resources between generations.To encourage more recycling and so ensure that aluminium makes its full contribution to sustainable development, the IAI has created, in collaboration with the aluminium recycling industry, a Global Aluminium Recycling Committee. Aluminium is so easy to recycle again and again, that it maintains a high value at the end of a products life. Aluminium therefore satisfies more than almost any other material the requirement for a fair distribution of resource utilisation between generations. The largest known and most rapidly growing stocks of aluminium are metal in use.These stocks of aluminium represent a permanent asset for society, because aluminium is not bio-degradable and does not rust away. It is estimated that while annual production of primary aluminium from bauxite is 24 million tonnes per annum, there are still 400 million tonnes of the metal in use which will eventually be available for recycling. Aluminium is essential for modern living and is an investment for future generations.

increased by around 24% since 1990, there has still been an overall reduction in the total annual emissions of PFCs.These reductions in PFC emissions to the atmosphere are estimated to amount to over 34 million tonnes as carbon dioxide equivalents, a reduction of about 39% from the 1990 baseline for worldwide PFC emissions. The surveys also show that smelters in the developing world, which often use state of the art technology, are performing as well as, if not better than, some plants in Europe or North America.

ONGOING CHALLENGES FACING THE INDUSTRY ON THE ROAD TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

In an effort to achieve its sustainable development goals, the Industry needs to focus on the following: Q Continuing the reduction programme for greenhouse gas emissions; Q Increasing the recycling rate of used aluminium; Q Minimizing the use of hazardous or toxic materials and finding alternatives to land fill disposal for spent pot lining and bauxite residues; Q Achieving further energy efficiency improvements; Q Establishing consistently understood and applied sustainability metrics that can be
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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

THE STRUCTURE OF THE INDUSTRY
The primary aluminium industry is relatively compact with 20 companies representing 65% of the worlds production. Most companies are single metal companies. Only 20% are involved with other metals or are multi-metal mining companies. Over half the worlds production is produced by large vertically integrated companies, who are involved with both recycling and mining the raw material bauxite. Production capacity is present on almost every continent and many of the most modern smelters are to be found in non-OECD countries, which are responsible for around 50% of the worlds production.

CONTRIBUTION TO GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY

Aluminium foil makes a major contribution to conserving the worlds food supply. It is calculated that all types of packaging save about 30% of the worlds food from wastage. Recent studies have shown, for example, that when considering the complete lifecycle of coffee, packaging has a far less significant environmental impact than the cultivation, processing and roasting processes. Only 10 percent of the energy consumed between the production and use of foodstuffs is attributable to packaging; almost 50 percent of the energy consumed is used to produce the foodstuffs and about 35 percent is used for their preparation and handling. Packaging saves ten times more waste than it creates. If packaging fails to fulfil its proper function of preserving and preventing contamination its contents will inevitably deteriorate. All energy and raw material resources used to produce and distribute the contents would then have been wasted.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE OVERALL ECONOMY

The aluminium industry makes a significant contribution to the global economy as well as to many individual national economies in over 30 countries. The commercial aviation industry would never have taken off without aluminium. The Wright Brothers first aeroplane, which flew in 1903, had a four-cylinder, 12-horsepower auto engine, modified with a 30-pound aluminium block to reduce weight. Aluminium now comprises about 80% of a Boeing 747 aircrafts unladen weight. The civil aviation industry transports the equivalent in value of a third of the worlds trade goods. In 1999 airfreight amounted to 350 billion tonne-kilometres. The airlines transported one and half billion passengers in 1999. 24 million people are currently employed around the world in the civil aviation and tourism industries. Aluminium reduces the weight of cars, truck, trains and ships, which means they can carry more and cause less wear and tear on the road and rail infrastructure.

Impact on the Food Supply System ENERGY

93%
GLOBAL WARMING

7% 6% 5% 6%
80% 100%
FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN Impact of Coffee Impact of packaging

94%
ACIDIFICATION

95%
WASTE

94%
0% 20% 40% 60%

Note: Food supply system includes coffee cultivation and raw coffee transport, production, consumption, disposal and packaging processing

Source: European Aluminium Foil Association

economic dimension

Aluminium foil is often used in combination with other materials, such as paper and plastic. In Germany every effort is made to remove the organic materials from the aluminium, and thus recover the aluminium for the production of high quality aluminium products. The organic components are used as materials or energy. However, the way that aluminium composites are recycled is often dependent on national legislation. If aluminium composites or aluminium foil are incinerated they contribute to energy production because they have a calorific value of 31 MJ/kg, higher than that of coal.

lion in total payroll. In Brazil the aluminium industry provides 3% of the exports and 51,000 jobs. It represents about 1% of Brazils total GDP and generates almost US$1 billion in tax revenue. Investments totalled US$2.7 billion in the three years 1997-1999. Canada earned 4.3 billion Canadian dollars from aluminium exports in 1998. Aluminium is Australias second largest commodity export worth over 6 billion Australian dollars in 1999 while the Norwegian aluminium industry generates 2% of Norways GNP.

USA
The aluminium industry in Washington state supports $4.4 billion of output, 29,600 direct and indirect jobs and $1.4 billion of personal income. Much of this economic benefit accrues to those rural communities where some of the industrys plants are located. Q Total sales for the companies were $2.6 billion; Q The industry directly provided 7,510 jobs in 1998 and indirectly generated another 22,090 jobs for a combined overall employment impact of 29,600 jobs in Washington State; Q The industrys employment multiplier is 3.9, which is 0.2 higher than the aerospace industry multiplier and 0.3 higher than the state average multiplier; Q The industry supported an additional 46,030 state residents; every aluminium job directly and indirectly supported 6.1 state residents.

JOB CREATION
The aluminium industry provides employment, often in remote areas, where job opportunities are

Canada
Billet is raised from the casting pit

scarce. While the industry does not employ child labour, it does provide opportunities for youngsters to become involved in apprenticeships and introduction to work schemes. It is estimated that the aluminium industry itself directly employs over a million people world-wide and indirectly generates approximately 4 times as many jobs in downstream and service industries. This total includes, for example, 3,000 aluminium companies, employing 235,000 in Europe; 42,000 in Japan; 17,500 in Australia and 21,000 in Canada. The US Aluminium Industry operates about 300 plants in 40 states, employing 143,000 men and women and generating approximately US$5 bil10

The 2001 production capacity of the aluminium smelters in Canada of 2,710,000 tonnes of aluminium is the result of massive investments of approximately $12 billion made in capital equipment over the past fifteen years by the three Canadian-based companies. As a result, Canada ranks third among major producing countries with more than 10% of world production and is also a major exporting country with 75% of total Canadian production sold on foreign markets. In addition to the 15,000 well paid jobs that the industry directly provides, annual operating expenditures devoted to operating its production facilities are the source of approximately 25,000 indirect jobs. In addition, each dollar spent by the

industry generates almost $2.50 in direct and indirect benefits for the national economy, a total that is much higher than that generated by the tourist industry or farming. Industrial activities by the three aluminium producers combine to create a tax base that allows the Canadian and Quebec governments to levy almost a billion dollars in taxes annually.

the nations largest taxpayers, contributing over 10 percent of Ghanas total tax receipts for a number of years. Volta River Authoritys sales to VALCO make electricity one of Ghanas top five exports. As the largest US investment in Ghana, VALCO has become the fifth largest contributor of foreign exchange to the Ghanaian economy.

Mozambique Russia
The workers wages in the Russian aluminium industry exceed the regional average by 3 to 4 times. The new Mozal aluminium smelter is the largest investment in Mozambique since it gained its independence from Portugal in 1975. It employs 750 people and nine out of every ten workers are Mozambicans. At a stroke the plant increased Mozambiques gross national product by seven percent and doubled its exports.

Jamaica
Jamaica is one of the worlds largest bauxite and alumina producers. The aluminium industry accounts for about 50 percent of Jamaicas exports and is thus the countrys second largest source of foreign currency. It provides direct employment, with well-paid jobs, for over 4,000 people. For example, the least qualified workers earn up to four times the legally required minimum wage. Farming on land that is not yet being - or is no longer being - mined for bauxite, results in the aluminium industry also being the islands largest producer of milk and meat.

Cameroon
The output of Cameroons aluminium producer, Alucam, represents 1% of the countrys gross domestic product. Alucam provides around 65% of Cameroons total exports.
Aluminium ingot bundles waiting to be shipped

Suriname
The aluminium industry in Suriname generates $350 million annually, accounts for 70% of the countrys exports and is the major source of foreign currency. The industry generates 40% of the governments income tax revenues. The industry directly supports 2500 workers with a multiplier of 4. Average wages are about 4 times the country average. Ninety nine percent of the workforce are native Surinamese.

Ghana
The Volta Aluminium Company is the largest manufacturing employer in the nation, employing 1,200 people over 99% of whom are Ghanaians. Through its tolling contracts, the company generates upwards of $200 million annually for the Ghanaian economy. VALCO has become one of

environmental dimensions

Location of Major Bauxite Mining areas

INTRODUCTION
The industrys main sustainability challenges are natural resource extraction, habitat impacts, energy use, emissions and waste disposal. The IAI Board of Directors gave a mandate for a full life cycle study of the metal to define its positive and negative impacts on the global environment. Considerable progress has already been achieved with this audit and with mitigating the negative and boosting the positive impacts by the expert advisory committees concerned with the environment, energy use and life cycle methodology. These committees are composed of senior environmental, health and safety managers from companies and aluminium associations from around the world.

LAND USE
The use of mineral resources for the production of aluminium is quite modest as compared with many other materials. Between 4 and 5 tonnes of bauxite are required to produce one tonne of alumina and two tonnes of alumina are required to produce one tonne of aluminium metal. There are numerous bauxite deposits, mainly in tropical and subtropical regions which are generally extracted by open cast mining from strata, typically some 46 metres thick under a shallow covering of topsoil and vegetation. In most cases the topsoil is removed and stored. The IAIs first Bauxite Mine Rehabilitation Survey was prepared in 1991, covering 65% of total world

A 140 tonne capacity haul truck being loaded with bauxite at Comalcos Wepa mine, North Queensland

bauxite production. It described the overall impact of bauxite mining on the environment and the rehabilitation programmes in place at 18 mining locations. A second survey was carried out in 1998 and covered 27 mining locations covering 72% of the total world bauxite production. The results of both of these surveys indicate that the bauxite mining industry is broadly in harmony with the approach set out in the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Guidelines for the Environmental Management of Alumina Production: Q Bauxite mining takes place in four main climate groups, in 1998 the distribution was Temperate 0.5%, Mediterranean 39%, Tropical 48% and Subtropical 13%. The vegetation types disturbed each year are mainly 76% forests, 19% agriculture and pasture and 2% shrubland. Post-mining land use shows 70% being returned to native forest, 3% to commercial forest, 17% to pasture and agriculture, 7% used for urban and industrial development, housing and recreational purposes. Q The area disturbed for mine development has increased by some 14% over the past decade In 1991 it was about 1,400 hectares and by 1998 it had risen to 1,591 hectares. The output of bauxite ore per hectare had increased from 52 thousand tonnes per hectare to 56.5 thousand tonnes per hectare in 1998. Of the total area mined per year in 1998, 80% was identified as wildlife habitat and 175 hectares was tropical rainforest. The majority of mines have introduced measures such as wildlife reserves and corridors, wildlife research and monitoring programmes. In Jamaica the industry has created orchid sanctuaries to help preserve the local orchid species. 577 hectares of mined area were identified as pos-

Rehabilitated Land Use

TH O

CO

LIVESTOCK PASTURE AND CROPS MMERCIAL FOREST

URBAN DEV

NATIVE FOREST

sessing important fauna species, of these 527 hectares or 91% will be restored to wild life habitat by the planting of suitable vegetation. Companies representing 60% of global bauxite production had their own plant nurseries for the purposes of re-afforestation and revegetation. The Second Survey indicates continuous improvement. Rehabilitation plans are in place at most mines (25 out of 27 - 90%, as compared to 10 out of 18 - 55%, in 1991). A very high proportion of mine managements have long term plans for the mine areas that will leave a self-sustaining ecosystem in place, when all mining operations have been completed.The current rehabilitation rate is 1,256 hectares per annum. All those surveyed actively supported their local community. Almost 90% funded infrastructure development. 87% of companies were involved in funding local schools and improving the local infrastructure. 69% of the companies provided help for community medical services, the arts, cultural development and the preservation of local culture. 81% of the mines have an outreach programme to benefit local businesses and contractors. Around 70% of the mines have apprenticeship programmes, 50% have scholarship schemes and 62% have youth support programmes. 81% of the mines funded parks and recreational facilities. Bauxite mines also continue to provide help to indigenous communities with measures ranging from the development of nurseries to drinking and irrigation wells to adult literacy training. Exporting bauxite mines generated about US$1.4m in revenue per hectare mined in 1998. A typical mine employs about 200 people for each million tonnes/year of bauxite produced. One hectare provides employment for about 11 people. Thus the local community wants the mine for the employment and for the assistance to community amenities it offers, while governments want the mines for infrastructure investment and tax revenue reasons. These social benefits are complemented, according to the survey, by an evergreater awareness of environmental factors by the companies, which results in the mined areas being restored to an environmentally friendly condition.
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ER

Albas Reduction Line 4 utilising Pechiney technology

ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Production of primary aluminium requires significant energy and the industry has a long tradition of self-improvement in this area. The average energy consumption and subsequent emissions per tonne of production have fallen by 70% over the past hundred years, due to research and continuing process developments. In the 1950s it took on average about 21 kWh (kilowatt-hours) to make a kilogram of aluminium from alumina. In 1999 it took one of the newest smelters just 13 kWh, a decrease of nearly 40%. The IAI carries out an annual energy consumption survey covering 70% of the worlds primary production facilities. The results are benchmarked to encourage improved performance. The following graph shows a steady reduction in electrical power used in primary aluminium production from 1899-1999.
kWh per tonne of aluminium

Energy Consumption for Primary Aluminium Production 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

1899 1909 1919 1929 1939 1949 1959 1969 1979 1989 1999

which is clean, CO2 free and renewable. In certain countries like Brazil, Norway, Canada and Russia the percentage is much higher (e.g. over 80% for Russia and 100% for Norway.) The global distribution of energy sources is as shown in the following pie chart. Some aluminium smelters are located in areas where there is a natural surplus of energy for which there is insufficient economic local use. Also when

ENERGY SUPPLY
More than 55 per cent of the worlds primary aluminium is produced using hydro-electric power
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Energy Sources
NU E CL

OIL

NATURAL GAS COAL

OTHERS

Drinking water is supplied by the Chubut River that flows 70 km away from the town and is therefore a scarce and expensive resource. Puerto Madryn has become an important area for tourism because of its wildlife (whales and birds) and seashore. The community is also working on different projects, with the object of minimising the spillage of liquid effluents into the gulf. The effluents generated from the sanitary services of the smelter buildings and the washing of vehicles are first processed in order to eliminate oils and grease and precipitate fluorides.They are then aerobically oxidised by complete mixing and decanting. The treated effluents are used to water the 15 hectare green area within the smelter boundaries. On rainy days the treated liquid effluents that cannot be re-used for watering the green

energy shortages develop, power can be diverted from aluminium electrolysis to supply the power grid, thus helping to reduce peak period prices for other power users and reduce the need for the construction of marginal peak period electrical generating capacity. This is the case where aluminium producers provide power to the grid at peak times (e.g. Quebec/Brazil) or shift production from aluminium for longer periods as happened, for example, in the US North West, British Columbia and Brazil, to free up electricity for other uses. The district heating project at the worlds largest aluminium rolling mill, Alu Norf in Germany, is a good example of improved energy efficiency. The surplus heat from the waste cleaning system on 13 melting furnaces is used for heating by 6,500 people on a housing estate a few kilometres away. It replaces up to 3.9 million cubic metres of natural gas and thus avoids about 10,000 tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere every year.

WATER USE
Water use will be an important consideration in the full life cycle studies now being undertaken by the IAI on behalf of the aluminium industry.Water is used in the aluminium industry for cooling in certain processes and sanitary purposes. The local programmes to reduce water consumption vary from location to location depending on the ease of access to water and on water consumption costs. An example of good practice is that of an aluminium smelter in Puerto Madryn in Argentina which has implemented a local programme with the goal of zero spillage of liquid effluents into the sea. The town of Puerto Madryn has a population of 65,000 and is on the shores of Golfo Nuevo in Patagonia. This is a large region with an arid climate. Average annual rainfall is 200 mm.

AR

An environmental officer monitors water quality at the Boyne Island smelter

areas, are accumulated in an artificial pond for the watering of a 24 hectare forested area, planted by the smelter. This forest also receives treated liquid effluents generated by the sanitary services of the town, especially during spring and summer, contributing towards water re-use and the reduction of spillage to the sea. As a next step the aluminium producer is planning a project that will allow the reuse of up to 40% of the liquid effluents generated in the town. The study consists of replacing the drinking water that is presently used during aluminium solidification, for motor cooling and steam generation, with biologically treated effluents that are submitted to an inverse osmosis process to reduce their soluble solids content. The synergies that sustain this project are the following:
Q

DEVELOPMENT IN FLUORIDE EMISSIONS FROM ALUMINIUM SMELTERS KILOGRAM FLUORIDES (GAS AND PARTICULATE) PER TONNE OF ALUMINIUM PRODUCED

1st Generation Plants

1940 - 1955

12 -15 kg per tonne 2-6 kg per tonne

2nd Generation Plants 1955 - 1975

3rd Generation Plants 1975 - today 0.5 - 1 kg per tonne

kg fluoride per tonne of aluminium

Reduction in the consumption of drinking water for industrial purposes, liberating 2000 m3 /day of the water supply public service capacity, that will benefit the growth of the town in the future; Reduction in the costs of the town liquid effluents treatment, as the implementation of the project will avoid the electromechanical pumping of approximately 4000 m3 /day of liquid over a 50 m elevation; 50% expansion of the companys forested area in order to reuse the water, discarded by the inverse osmosis process, for watering; Considerable contribution towards the minimisation of effluents spillage to the sea, proposed by the Puerto Madryn community.

Plants with modern control systems to remove and recycle the fluorides do not generate local concerns. Optimum fume collection from the electrolytic cells, coupled with specific workplacerelated training of the employees should also lead to further improvement in the future. The following graphs illustrate the reduction of atmospheric fluoride emissions in Norwegian smelters from 1960 to 2000, despite the increase in production from 185,000 tonnes per year in 1960 to 1,030,000 tonnes in 2000.

Specific Emission of Fluoride to the atmosphere 5.4 4.4

2.2

CONTROL OF FLUORIDE EMISSIONS

For many decades fluoride emissions (as gases and particulates) were considered to be the single most important pollutant from aluminium smelters. Depending on the local conditions, fluorides could have a serious environmental impact on the local flora and fauna. Fluorides accumulate in vegetation and can cause damage to coniferous trees. They also accumulate in the teeth and bones of ruminants eating fluoride-contaminated forage. The following table shows the development in fluoride reductions through 3 generations of aluminium smelters.

0.75 0.46
1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Total Emission of Fluoride to the atmosphere 2.2

1000 tonne per year

1.4 1 0.6 0.4

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

16

In Russia, over the last decade, specific energy consumption decreased by 11% and hydrogen fluoride and sulphurous anhydride emissions were reduced by 45% and 59% respectively. In the case of the majority of plants, around the world, which use modern control equipment with efficient gas collection and wet/dry scrubbing systems, the damage from fluoride emissions to surrounding flora and fauna has largely been eliminated. Fluoride control systems are operated as closed loop systems with no residual wastes.

GREENHOUSE GASES REDUCTION

The industrial processes of the primary aluminium industry in 1997 emitted 110 million tonnes of CO2 equivalents, 50 million tonnes (45%) of which originated from two perfluorocarbon compounds (PFCs). The Institute carries out annual surveys of PFC emissions and sends out benchmarking reports, so individual plants can compare their performance with other de-identified plants using the same technology. A number of companies, representing 63% of world aluminium production, have participated in these surveys. The data they have provided show the specific emission rate of CF4 to have been reduced by 60% between 1990 and 2000. Over the same period, the specific emission rate for C2F6 has been reduced by 62%. PFCs have the greenhouse gas warming potential of 6,500 and 9,200 times that of CO2 for CF4 and C2F6 respectively. Estimates of worldwide PFC emissions, based on extrapolation of the data from the IAI survey, show a reduction in total emissions of both PFC compounds to the atmosphere of about 39% as carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, amounting to 34 million tonnes of carSpecific PFC Emissions
100 CF4 Emissions per tonne AI (Percent of 1990 Baseline) 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

bon dioxide. This is one of the few examples where the global emissions of a greenhouse gas from an industry sector are actually in decline. The Industry has also appointed a PFC Consultant to hold seminars and carry out measurement programmes to encourage the wider adoption of good operating practices. The Surveys show that smelters in the developing world are performing as well as, if not better than, some plants in Europe or North America. Voluntary agreements between government and industry have played a significant role in encouraging this reduction in PFC emissions in many countries such as Australia, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, New Zealand, Norway and the UK. Together they represent around 50% of world production.

ALUMINIUM IN TRANSPORT - A SUCCESS STORY

Energy use and the CO2 emissions caused by transport have increased significantly. This increase has been caused by the rapid growth in the size of the worlds vehicle fleet. More and more people and goods are being transported over longer distances in heavier vehicles. Cars, trains, trucks and buses have become heavier in part because of the increased use of electronics, comfort equipment (air conditioners) and safety equipment (e.g. air bags and crash elements in cars) and in part because of demands for additional space and capacity. The manufacturers of vehicles and their suppliers are seeking to reduce the environmental impacts caused by transport. The aluminium industry helps to meet this challenge with its contribution to light-weighting, improved performance and to improved safety. Different life-cycle assessments have shown that 1 kg of aluminium in a car body, replacing 2 kg of steel in a conventional car body, saves, during the life-time of the car, about 20 kg of greenhouse gas emissions (in CO2 equivalents). In addition if, for example, 1000 kg of greenhouse gas is saved by the use of less gasoline in a lightweight vehicle, this also means a reduction of other potential environmental impacts, including: Q 15800 MJ of crude oil resources;
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Q Q Q

933 kg of water; 1.8 kg ethylene equivalents of ozone forming hydrocarbons; a saving of 2.1 kg SO2 equivalents of acidification potential.

The global use of aluminium in the automotive sector has increased from 2.5 million tonnes in 1991 to nearly 4.5 million tonnes in 1999. This use of aluminium for automobiles in 1999 alone has the potential, over the lifespan of the vehicles, to reduce overall GHG emissions by 90 million tonnes, assuming that all this aluminium was used to replace denser materials. In addition, since aluminium has a high strength to weight ratio and a superior crash performance in terms of the specific energy absorption, vehicles designed to use aluminium components can achieve the benefits of light-weighting without reducing the safety of the passengers or the performance of the vehicle. It also means increased safety for passengers in other vehicles involved in collisions with these lighter aluminium intensive vehicles. For the first decade of this millennium the use of aluminium in cars is predicted to double because of more cars world-wide and more aluminium in cars. The US automobile fleet contained 116 kg of

aluminium per vehicle in 2000 and is expected to contain 159 kg by 2010.The cumulative impact of using aluminium in this way will yield greenhouse gas savings of 180 million tonnes per year by 2010. But there are still even greater opportunities, which could reduce GHG emissions by five times as much. Vehicles such as buses and long haul trucks operate over much longer distances during their lifetimes, often five times longer than that of a typical passenger car. The use of 1 kg of aluminium replacing 1.5 kg of steel in a typical bus or truck reduces the greenhouse gas emission by about 40 kg over its lifetime (i.e. twice as much as for a car). Finally, a railroad train, during its lifetime, runs a distance of between 30 and 50 times the distance of a typical car. The use of 1 kg of aluminium replacing 1.6 kg of steel in a railway car reduces the greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200 kg (i.e. ten times as much as for a car) Thus the benefits of using more aluminium for these applications are even greater. The reduction in the dead weight (empty weight) of ships through the use of lighter weight aluminium can also result in capacity increases per vessel trip, or energy reductions per trip, either of which results in energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions. Current estimates show that globally there will be a 35% increase in CO2 emissions from all vehicles

Japanese Bullet Train

Incat Fast Ferry

In Europe aluminium has high recycling rates, ranging from 41% in beverage cans to 85% in construction and 95% in transportation. In Japan the recycling rate for cans was 79% and Brazil achieved 78%. A kilo of used cans is worth more to collectors than 15 kilos of plastic or 10 kilos of paper. Americans recycled 62.6 billion aluminium cans in 2000, for a beverage can recycling rate of 62%. For many groups, used aluminium cans turn into new-found money thanks to aluminium can industry initiatives. Initiatives include the American Aluminum Associations partnership with Habitat for Humanity called Aluminum Cans Build Habitat for Humanity Homes, designed to boost public interest in aluminium can recycling while helping volunteers and families build homes. Aluminium is durable, does not rust or need painting, which means reduced maintenance costs. Most of the aluminium ever produced is still in use, between 400 and 500 million tonnes. It can be recycled and re-used again and again without any deterioration in quality. Aluminium products

by the year 2020. An increased use of aluminium would reduce this figure to 28% and thus help towards making the transportation sector more sustainable.

RECYCLING
The increasing use of recycled metal saves both the energy and mineral resources needed for primary production. Once aluminium is used, it is not lost to society. It can be recycled again and again by present and future generations, using only about 5% of the energy required for primary production and generating only 5% of the greenhouse gas emissions. Anything made of aluminium can be recycled repeatedly; not only cans, but also aluminium foil, plates and pie moulds, window frames, garden furniture and automotive components. All can be melted down and re-used. Scrap aluminium has significant value and commands good market prices. Aluminium companies have invested in dedicated, state of the art secondary metal processing plants to recycle aluminium. In the case of beverage cans, the process uses gas collected from burning off the coating to preheat the material prior to processing. The recycling of aluminium beverage cans eliminates waste. It saves energy, conserves natural resources, reduces the use of city landfills and provides added revenue for recyclers, charities and local town administrations. The aluminium can is therefore good news for the environment and good for the economy.
A 27 tonne ingot made from approximately 1.5 million used drink cans

ALUMINIUM CAN RECYCLING LOOP

BEVERAGE BOUGHT IN STORE EMPTY CANS TAKEN TO RECYCLING CENTRE

DELIVERED TO STORE FILLED WITH BEVERAGE

Mining and metals companies were among the first to introduce the now common practice of building and maintaining schools, clinics and sports facilities for their employees. It is not uncommon for them to be made available to other people living in the vicinity of the company location. A number of aluminium companies are engaged with governments, non-governmental organisations, academics and other like-minded companies in pursuit of a better understanding of their respective roles in society. The companies help to fund research activities and participate in the research. They help to guide the processes and interpret the results. They sponsor global polls and focus groups in order to understand better and be able to respond to public concerns about their operations and products. Several aluminium companies have been selected as leaders in the field of sustainable development by Dow Jones, as well as by Innovest and other ethical funds analysts.

MADE INTO CAN MELTED DOWN AT RE-CYCLING PLANT

ALUMINIUM ROLLED INTO SHEET

have a longer life and require less maintenance than other building materials and thus conserve energy and resources. With the use of aluminium in construction, its initial energy-intensive manufacture is more than compensated for in use phase and can be fully recycled on demolition. Used in packaging, the good thermal conductivity of the aluminium leads to energy savings when cooling drinks, for example, or heating up ready made meals. Furthermore, the energy first used to produce the metal is not lost. It is embodied in the products and is then reactivated during recycling. The IAI and its counterpart associations from the recycling industry have established a Global Aluminium Recycling Committee, with representatives from every region of the world, to encourage higher recycling rates. At present approximately a third of world demand is met from recycled metal. The Committee is monitoring scrap flows and recycle rates in an effort to establish the basis for estimating future scrap availability. This is dependent on when current products with medium to long life span enter or re-enter the scrap chain. Much better global scrap statistics are required to improve the use of available scrap material and ensure that valuable metal is not going to landfill. A study is also being conducted into the content of landfill sites in the various regions.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
In many parts of the world aluminium companies have developed broad-based stakeholder consultative mechanisms. These bodies are composed variously of representatives of local communities and community organisations, governments and

Aluminium Smelters site at Tiwai Point, New Zealand

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social dimension

industry employee groups. Companies will not proceed with major projects without the broadbased support of the community, as expressed through such consultative structures. In addition to communities, social obligations are also recognised to include other groups such as employees, customers and suppliers. An increasing number of companies are adopting corporate ethics codes, which are periodically revised in response to changing public expectations.

SAFETY & HEALTH

There are safety and health related risks involved in all the processing steps, from bauxite mining through alumina refining, aluminium electrolysis and most fabrication processes. It is therefore necessary to identify systematically all the hazards, have standards of good practice, committed management and systems for a structured follow up in all the different phases. There are coordinated safety initiatives on particular hazardous activities such as the operation of mobile equipment, lifting devices, material handling, combustion, high voltage equipment as well as the handling of bath and

molten metal, where the consequences of not following the good practices can be fatal. Control of these hazards is the key to reducing the risk of injury and illness in the aluminium industry. The figures used by the IAI for benchmarking are common safety indicators including: Q Fatal Accident Rate (Fatal Accidents per 100 million hours worked); Q Lost time Accident Rate (Lost time Accidents per million hours worked); Q Recordable Accident Rate (Lost time Accidents + RestrictedWork Cases + Medical Treatment Cases per million hours worked); Q Severity Rate (days lost per million hours worked); Q Severity (days lost per Lost time Accident); Since 1997 the IAI has collected comprehensive benchmarking data on safety performance in the global aluminium industry and shared the results within the industry. Such information is a driving force for continual improvement. The best performers want to maintain their leadership and those lagging behind will be motivated to set their own improved performance goals. In addition to benchmarking performance another important activity is to share information on accidents and

Safety Performance Benchmarking 2000 Accident Rates by Plant Type and Year

50
Accident Rate (Accidents per million hours worked) Recordable Accidental Rate - Numerical Value Only J Restricted Work/Medical Treatment Accident Rate J Lost Time Accident Rate

40
35 30 27 27

30

28

22

20
15 12

10
8 8

0
Smelters 1999 Smelters 2000 Refineries Refineries 1999 2000 Mines 1999 Mines 2000 All Plants All Plants All Plants All Plants 1997 1998 1999 2000

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why they happened. The aim is to learn how to prevent any recurrence in accordance with the philosophy that each accident is one too many and that if one ignores the past we are condemned to repeat it. The previous graph shows the trend in average accident rates since 1997 in the areas of mining, refining and smelting, all of which show improvement. In 1999 the IAIs Board of Directors decided that the names of the best performing mines, refineries and smelters should be released, as should the best performer in each size category of smelter. The sharing of information on good practices, has now been introduced to encourage the whole sector to improve their safety and health performance. In 2000 the IAIs Safety Award was instituted to recognize the best performers. For 2000 the best performing smelters were in India and Brazil and the best performing alumina refinery was also in India. No particular mine was selected since many were in the best performing category. The graph below shows the trend in average lost time accident rate and severity rate for all the plants over the last couple of years.
Accident Rate and Severity Rate
10 Accident Rate (Accidents per million hours worked)

development. This is consistent with the experience that most accidents at work are behaviour and organisation related. Alcoa have achieved continuous improvement in reducing the rate of accidents in their operations through a systematic work and management commitment. Their average Lost Workday rate, because of accidents and illnesses, is shown in the graph compared with the average US Manufacturing rate. Their rate is now 10 times lower than it was 10 years ago, and is now also 10 times lower than the current average US manufacturing industry rate. There are many similar positive examples throughout the aluminium sector and many companies have now declared a policy of zero accidents as their ultimate goal.
Alcoas Lost Workday Rate
5 Lost workday rate per 200,000 hours 4 US Manufacturing

2 Alcoa 1

0 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2000

8 All Plants 1999 6 All Plants 1998 All Plants 1997

PUBLIC SAFETY
The aluminium construction of windows and doors combined with fireproof glazing will help prevent flames and smoke spreading to adjacent rooms and corridors, for example in office buildings, hospitals and hotels. Because it is heat resistant and does not burn, aluminium is also suitable for protective clothing. Fire brigades and emergency services can get closer to sources of heat or fire if they are wearing aluminium-coated fullbody protection.

All Plants 2000

2 IAI Best Performers 2000 0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

Severity Rate (Days lost per million hours)

While there is still further work to be done to ensure the highest safety standards consistently in all plants, progress so far has been encouraging. The industry will continue to benchmark and apply best practices within the industry. The IAI will also seek to learn from the experience of other industrial sectors. Besides investments in technical improvements, it is primarily practice-oriented training and qualification measures, aimed at identifying risks, that have contributed to this positive
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HEALTH AND FITNESS

The aluminium industry is associated with different research facilities throughout the world, who carry out medical research on the metal or aluminium products. The aim is to develop a safe environment for the workforce and safe products

for the consumers. The IAI Health Committee plans to collect global statistics on absenteeism on health grounds and then benchmark performance. It will also be assembling data on community health projects and family health programmes. The IAIs Health Committee monitors incidences and conducts surveys of industrial illnesses in aluminium plants around the world. The Global Aluminium Health Research Committee funds health literature reviews and, where appropriate, commissions research into industrial and public health issues. Many companies carry out health screening to identify those employees unfit to perform their designated job tasks. Matching the right employee to the appropriate job means decreased risk, enhanced productivity and job satisfaction. Many companies run health fitness programmes and provide fitness centres for the workforce and their families. It was found in some companies that fitness programmes reduced the cost of health care by some 30% as well as providing positive community benefits.

with dental treatment.The progress in Ouro Preto is significant. The number of cases of tooth decay has been reduced by 89%.

SAFETY OF THE MOTORIST

A reduction in a vehicles weight improves safety because the lighter the vehicle, the shorter its breaking distance. A few metres can decide whether or not an accident occurs and people are injured. In addition, crash tests show that aluminium structures absorb at least as much energy as steel structures. Thus, flexible aluminium tubes

COMMUNITY HEALTHCARE PROJECTS

Cameroons aluminium plant has developed specific programmes for the local population to combat malaria and AIDS. The plant management have developed the first integrated programme in Africa (prevention and treatment) targeted at HIV in the occupational field and in the local population. They have also established a health centre which is open to the population surrounding the plant. In India the companies have developed health programmes and hospital services for the local population near their plants. An aluminium company community project The Smiles Project in Ouro Preto, in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, has been recognised by UNICEF and received awards.. There are seven buildings with orthodontists in various quarters of the town of Ouro Preto. This dental care project assists 3,500 children up to seven years old belonging to families in need. The children visit the centres, with their parents, once a week. They receive instructions on brushing teeth and general oral hygiene from dental assistants and orthodontists. Later visits, if necessary, also provide the children

are increasingly being used for the side-on crash protection in cars. Aluminium crash boxes between the bumper and the front of the vehicle serve to dissipate energy in the event of a head-on collision. The aluminium industry is working together with car-makers to develop new materials, especially for lighter and stiffer components. Foamed aluminium is a new material that is lighter than water but nevertheless has an extremely high stiffness - a combination of properties which makes it possible to improve the design of the collapsible zone and to offer greater protection if collisions occur.

MOBILITY
Whether it is a scooter, cycle, escalator or shopping trolley - every day we use products that contain
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aluminium. This is especially the case when it comes to walking aids or transport aids for the disabled, the infirm or senior citizens. Where aluminium is used to enable individuals to have an active social life without having to rely on third parties.

In Jamaica, ongoing community projects include assistance to schools, the building of community centres, construction of playing fields, the provision of water to neighbouring communities and the upgrade and repair of public roads.

COMMUNITY CARE
For many years companies have understood that their licence to operate rests on the support of the communities in which they operate. As well as the direct economic benefits which communities derive from operations, the companies invest in their communities through the provision of sponsorships and by support of local infrastructure and institutions. One company has a One Million Trees programme whereby their employees, their families and communities have planted over 500,000 trees on five continents in the last three years. In Australia a close partnership has developed between the aluminium companies and the Aborigines. The native inhabitants are closely involved in the recultivation of bauxite mines. This applies, for example, to the landscaping, roadbuilding projects and medical care. Among other things, the aluminium industry has awarded the Aborigines long-term contracts for the transport of bauxite or the provision of seeds for land recultivation. This ensures that the native inhabitants have a reliable source of income for decades. In Brazil around the bauxite mining area there are a number of small villages, so-called quilombos, which were set up about 200 years ago by escaped slaves (Quilombolas). The Quilombolas use the rain forest in a traditional manner. Therefore, with the participation of the Brazilian environmental authorities, the aluminium producers are trying to balance out their interests and those of the Quilombolas. The Brazilian aluminium industry is actively engaged in a number of social projects that help the Quilombolas to help themselves, including projects in the following fields: Q Poultry and fish farming, fruit and vegetable gardens as well as beekeeping, in order to improve nutrition and income in the quilombos; Q Schooling, medical care and helping villagers to make claims for the land rights in their local areas with the Brazilian government.

TRAINING AND EDUCATION

The industry provides education, healthcare and training for their workforce. In many parts of the world the industry also provides education, healthcare and essential infrastructure for the broader community. For the past two years a religious organisation in Germany has been honouring companies whose outstanding conduct has established social benchmarks. A company from the aluminium industry has been honoured each year for taking on longterm unemployed, for its relatively large number of apprenticeships and for encouragement given to female employees, its youth training effort and its above-average employment of disabled persons. Q In Russia the aluminium companies provide grants for their employees children to receive higher education. The companies also sponsor schools which their employees attend, by providing teaching equipment and awarding scholarships to future employees; Q In Brazil aluminium companies provide elementary school education for the children of their employees and also for children from the neighbouring villages.They are also providing education materials on environmental responsibility to over 25,000 school children (grades 1-4) in three separate communities. The programme also involves the training of over 600 local teachers in environmental education and motivating students to learn about environmental responsibility; Q Aluminium Bahrain regularly awards scholarships to the children of its employees to enable them to have a university education. So far 190 scholarships have been awarded. For the younger children of employees summer camps are held every year, offering children the chance to participate in a number of leisure activities and sports. Older children are offered courses to learn computer skills.

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One development project where aluminium can provide useful support is the widespread use of solar cookers in Third World countries. According to the charity Deutsche Welthungerhilfe there are about two billion people in the world today who rely on firewood for cooking. In some regions the local forestry can no longer satisfy peoples needs. In addition, chopping down trees leads to heavy soil erosion, the ground becomes impoverished, the water table is lowered and once-fertile land becomes desert. The use of solar cookers helps counteract this development. The collectors, which are similar to a satellite dish, are made of anodised bright-polished aluminium sheet and they focus the suns rays. The cooking area is at the focal point and can reach temperatures of 700 degrees Celsius. The aluminium industry is promoting the wider use of solar cookers. For example, the Germany-based Aluminium Association (GDA) is supporting a joint project between the German Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development and the German Society for Technical Co-operation, GT7. This covers the manufacture and distribution of solar cookers in South Africa.

means of implementation

GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION

The 1997 PFC Survey highlighted the considerable variation in performance between smelters using different types of technology and even between smelters using the same technology so there is still considerable potential for improvement. The reduction in the frequency and duration of anode effects, which give rise to most PFC emissions, has a benefit. Not only does it reduce emissions but it also helps to optimise process efficiency. The IAIs PFC Reduction Initiative involves: Q Surveying producers for anode effect data; Q Publishing reports that serve as a data source on PFCs from aluminium production; Q Providing advice on good practices for PFC measurement procedures; Q Conducting workshops or benchmarking and good practices for the reduction of anode effects; Q Collaborating with national regulatory agencies, international business groups and member companies to develop better PFC inventories; Q Sponsoring fundamental atmospheric research to understand better how PFCs affect climate change; Q Sponsoring measurements of PFCs in historical air samples to establish the relationship with aluminium production. The IAI has introduced a benchmarking programme. Each reporting smelter receives a per-

formance graph showing where it ranks in relation to the performance of other de-identified plants with similar technology. A series of regional workshops are being organised to promote the spread of good practice throughout the industry. Companies are being encouraged and where appropriate assisted to carry out actual sample measurements from the potroom ducts. This also helps to provide a solid base for building a set of data stretching back to 1990, which would be suitable for third party verification. In future the introduction of inert anodes and the replacement over time of carbon anodes could eventually eliminate PFC emissions.

FUTURE APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The IAI is looking at a two tiered approach which will involve organising workshops to share experience and good practice amongst member companies. In this way the small to medium size companies as well as the larger ones, can be made aware, of the international importance of sustainable development and of the need to make it part of their companys own management and operating philosophy. Ultimately sustainable development performance indicators need to be framed so that they can not only serve as a useful evaluation tool in terms of satisfying stakeholder concerns but are also of value to managers when measuring their businesss performance.