Alcoa: Sustainability: Sustainability Home: Environment: Emissions, Effluents, & Waste: Programs & Actions

Greenhouse Gas Reductions
Information and data about our efforts in reducing greenhouse gases can be found in the Climate Change section

Emissions Reductions
Our strategic goals call for reductions in key air emissions from a baseline of 2000. These targets are set on an absolute basis and do not accommodate increases due to our continued growth.

In 2008, we made progress on our SO2 and NOx targets, and completion of some projects in early 2009 should realize even further reductions in these emissions.

The reduction of mercury emissions remains a significant challenge for us. Our reduction improved from 10% in 2007 to 23% in 2008; however, our goal to achieve an 80% reduction by 2008 was not met.

Mercury is naturally occurring in varying concentrations in the bauxite we mine, and the concentrations vary depending on the specific source of bauxite extracted. We have invested considerable time and money to develop methods for eliminating emissions of mercury. However, understanding the fate of mercury through the refining process has proven to be more complex than originally anticipated.

Our targeted reduction and timelines for mercury will be revised in 2009 based on current technical practicalities and funding limitations that are driven by the current economic climate.

We have eliminated ozone-depleting substances from our process operations. In newly acquired facilities, elimination of these substances is a high priority. We do continue to use halon gas as a fire suppressant in several locations throughout the world, and these systems will continue to be phased out. There have been no documented releases from a halon system since 2004.

We are currently replacing some halon systems with FM 2000, which is not an ozone-depleting substance but does have a high global-warming potential. We continue to search for other substitutes that will address that concern as well.

Performance data

go

Waste Minimization
Under our 2020 strategic framework, we set a goal to have zero waste disposed in landfills by 2015, with an interim goal of a 50% reduction in landfilled waste by 2007 from a base year of 2000. As of the end of 2008, we’ve achieved a 52% reduction, and we are actively looking for technical solutions that will enable us to achieve our longer-term goal.

Performance data

go

Spent Pot Lining
As discussed in the Material Use section, we continue to make progress in converting a significant waste from our smelting process—spent pot lining (SPL)—into an energy and mineralizer resource for cement kilns. SPL is generated when the carbon and refractory lining of smelting pots reaches the end of its serviceable life.

In the last few years, we have led our industry in finding ways to transform the waste into a raw material for other industries. We’re working with cement manufacturers in several countries to develop an environmentally safe process that treats the chemicals of concern in the material, while at the same time using the energy value of the material to reduce the cost of cement production.

Through this and other efforts, we recycled 47% of the spent pot lining we produced in 2008. This is a significant improvement over the 23% we recycled in 2007 and was driven largely by our ability to recycle some of our U.S.-generated SPL in cement kilns. We continue to work on identifying opportunities to expand the market for this material, and this should allow for further increases in volumes recycled in the next few years.

Performance data

go

Bauxite Residue Management
Bauxite residue is a significant byproduct of the alumina refining industry. For every ton of alumina produced, approximately one to two tons of bauxite residue results—primarily based on the quality of the bauxite processed.

Each of our refineries handles bauxite residue differently based on local conditions. Overseeing this work is our residue management lead team, which reviews each refinery’s systems and mandatory residue disposal area plans (five-year and 25-year).

We continue to explore opportunities to use bauxite residue as a source material for a variety of applications. We have also developed, tested, and, in some cases, implemented process modifications aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of residue storage and chemically rendering the material so it is more suitable for re-use or long-term management.

Our work also involves rehabilitating bauxite storage areas for reuse. In Brazil, a former disposal area is now a 26-hectare (64-acre) rehabilitated area that supports native Brazilian trees and other vegetation as well as reemerging animal life. The reclaimed land is also serving as a natural research laboratory.

We also believe it’s important to work with the surrounding communities as we plan for future bauxite residue disposal areas. In Australia, residue stakeholder reference groups with broad representation from the local community and state and local governments helped in the development of long-term residue management strategies (see case study).

Performance data

go

Compliance
We require all Alcoa locations to operate in compliance with all applicable environmental laws and regulations. Our corporate compliance function facilitates our goal of zero non-compliance incidents by tracking actual or potential issues and ensuring that matters of non-compliance are corrected with sustainable solutions.
We continue to make significant progress since the compliance program was implemented. In 2008, 66% of our operating locations operated without any environmental non-compliance incidents.

While this is down from 76% in 2007, our locations have continued to implement and strengthen compliance systems. Additionally, the Alcoa environmental audit process was changed in 2008 to conduct more detailed and aggressive compliance assessments. This significantly increased the percentage of compliance findings discovered during the internal audit process from 2007 to 2008.

Performance data

go

Case Studies

Alcoa-Led Industry Initiative Reduces PVC Use, Hydrogen Chloride Emissions

Alcoa Smelters Meet Challenge to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions by One Million Tons Annually

Switch to Bio-Based Lubricants Reduces Emissions, Costs

Turning Industrial Waste into Commercial Products

Alcoa Facilities in France Reduce Emissions, Waste

City-Initiated Sustainability Initiative Reduces Environmental Impact, Costs

Reduced Water Consumption, Discharge Exceed Alcoa Goals

Less to Landfill Creates Funds for Community

Residue Carbon Capture Delivers Double Environmental Benefit

Fighting Climate Change on the Home Front

Community Stakeholders Help Develop Environmental Improvement Plans