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Air Management
Alcoa Point Henry monitors and reports on a range of emissions to air including fluoride, dust and particulate, greenhouse gases and sulphur dioxide. The Environmental Improvement Plan outlines Alcoa Point Henry’s approach and strategy for management of emissions to air.
Significant Investments and Achievements
Bakes Sustainability Project
Alcoa Point Henry’s $89 million carbon bake upgrade was commissioned in late 2007.
The project marked a key milestone for the ongoing sustainability of Alcoa's Point Henry operations and is one of the most significant investments by the company in Victoria for over 15 years. The upgrade has helped maintain production levels and significantly improved environmental performance.
The project has delivered significant reductions by optimising combustion efficiency during the carbon bake anode process.
The fume treatment centre called the carbon bake scrubber was also upgraded as part of the project. The new scrubber now provides more capacity to enable major maintenance to be carried out over the life of the rebuilt furnace, without having to take the whole scrubber offline. The end result has seen large scale reductions in particulates and PAHs exiting the scrubber.
Greenmill Fume System Upgrade
The upgrade of the smelter’s $16 million Greenmill Fume System is on track for completion in 2012. The new system will collect all the emissions from the Green Mill process, filtering them out, before returning the material back into the process.
The system will continue to improve our environmental performance and ensure we remain an environmental benchmark for other smelters around the world. It will play an important role in continuing to reduce emissions as well as helping to ensure we stay globally competitive.
The Greenmill Fume System Upgrade is due for completion in 2012 at a cost of $16 million.
Progress Update – July 2011
The progress of the Greenmill Fume System Upgrade has included engineering design, demolition works, removal of redundant equipment and structural strengthening work.
Civil work is now complete, with electrical and mechanical work in full swing including assembly of the main scrubber modules.
Sulphur Dioxide Management Upgrade
As part of ongoing environmental improvement plans, the smelter’s fume system will be upgraded in line with Alcoa’s broader sulphur dioxide management strategy. It is the highest priority environmental initiative for our operations at present and represents a $44 million capital investment.
The project will improve our environmental performance and support the sustainability of our operations. It follows the site’s voluntary reduction in emission limits of sulphur dioxide in 2004.
Due for completion in 2013, Alcoa will increase the height of the discharge points to improve gas dispersion via two tall stacks. Global engineering organisation Hatch is managing the project with their local engineering group.
This upgrade is one of two significant environmental projects underway at Point Henry. The other, the Green Mill Fume System upgrade costing $16 million, is due for completion in 2012.
Progress Update – July 2011
The progression of the upgrade is on schedule with key onsite activities such as electrical and mechanical demolition works completed. Engineering work is nearing completion; structural and electrical engineering is in the detailed design phase. Civil works for the site village were completed in May 2011. The facilities cater for 60 onsite personnel. Installation of one of the stacks has commenced.
Fluoride Reductions
Since 2002 fluoride emissions have reduced by more than 75% at Point Henry. Focused operational practices such as pot coverage and draft optimisation ensure fluoride is extracted effectively to the fume scrubbing system.
The implementation of real time lasers costing $800,000 is also a valuable technique to instantaneously monitor fluoride levels in the Potrooms.
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