1
Compiled by Dr. Joe Herbertson
June 2001
Sustainable Resource
Processing
Case
Study: Alcoa
Alcoa, the world’s largest
resource company has recently announced very ambitious
environmental targets based on sustainable development principles
•Target emissions and waste reductions over the coming decade for their global operations include SO2 (60%), VOC’s (50%), NOx (30%), Hg (80%), landfilled wastes (50%), process water use and discharge (60%), Greenhouse gases (25% or 50%% with inert anode success)
•Alcoa is also committed to
product stewardship
and rewards being linked to environmental accountability
The Ultimate Vision
•All wastes have been
eliminated
•Products are designed for the environment
•The environment is fully integrated into manufacturing
•Incident free
workplace
•Protecting the environment is a core value of employees
•Stakeholders recognise Alcoa as a leader in sustainable
development
A simultaneous goal of
achieving annual cost reductions of US$100M by 2005 through energy and raw
materials savings, waste reduction and recycling means that ‘end of pipe’ solutions will
not be enough and innovation will be a core element of success
Alcoa Chairman and CEO, Alain Belda,
25 April 2001