Focus on Environment
Sustainable Development
Alcoa established an environmental program combining the quest for perfection underlying the Alcoa Business System and the principles of sustainable development. Alcoa businesses developed their own goals within a comprehensive framework. Progress will be measured against environmental performance in 2000, except for greenhouse gas emissions, where the base year is 1990. New targets for the first 10 years include:
 By 2007, reduce landfilled waste by 50%; NOx emissions by 30%.
By 2008, reduce mercury emissions by 80%; process water use and discharge by 60%; volatile organic compounds by 50%.
By 2010, reduce SO2 by 60%; greenhouse gases by 25%.
Other program elements are management systems, accountability, cost savings through recycling and other initiatives, product design, and community involvement.
Breakthrough in Waste Treatment
Spent pot lining (SPL) is an unavoidable waste product of the electrolytic process used in smelting aluminum. It is a hazardous waste because it contains significant amounts of absorbed fluorides and traces of cyanide. Aluminum producers usually send the material to landfills. The Alcoa Portland SPL Process transforms SPL to usable aluminum fluoride and a harmless granulated vitreous material called “synthetic sand.” The new process results from an eight-year, A$26 million effort involving Portland Aluminium, Alcoa, Ausmelt PTY Ltd., and Australia’s CSIRO. The Environmental Protection Authority of Victoria, Australia, has approved the synthetic sand for unrestricted use as long as it continues to meet a strict fluoride leachability standard. Likely uses include commercial applications such as road making and concrete. Portland Aluminium has successfully used the reclaimed aluminum fluoride in its smelter, reducing its need for imported aluminum fluoride.
Greener Recycling
In July, Alcoa opened a highly automated aluminum recycling plant in Avilés, Spain, to remelt painted and lacquered aluminum scrap and thermal brake products. The plant’s emission processing system, unique in Europe, prevents the release of paint particles to the atmosphere.
A+ for the Environment
Two of Alcoa’s Mill Products plants were recognized for improving the environment. The Lancaster, Pa. facility received the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence for 2001 for its efforts leading to beneficial reuse of spent mineral spirits. The project reduced the plant’s overall hazardous waste by nearly a half-million pounds. The Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club honored the Davenport facility with the Business Service Award for its commitment to reducing releases to the environment and its innovative programs.
Look, See, Act
Suralco provided some funding and employees acted as facilitators and coaches for a countrywide environmental awareness contest among schools in Suriname. Called Opo yu AY (“Open your eyes”), the contest was established by the Suriname branch of Rotary International to stimulate students to discuss environmental projects. One Suralco-coached student team captured first prize, and two others were among the top five contestants.
Peaceful Coexistence
A Portland Aluminium sponsorship will help protect an Australasian gannet (Sula serrator) colony that nests on Pt. Danger, not far from the smelter. This species is rare, and the Pt. Danger gannets are the only mainland colony in Australia. Portland Aluminium has provided funding to protect the gannets from predators and to construct a viewing platform.
Funding Forests
Alcoa Foundation approved four multiyear grants for conservation and sustainability, with a major emphasis on sustainable forestry. The World Resources Institute, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and the National Fish and Wildlife Association will each receive $500,000 or more.
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From Left to Right:
Trevor Bennett,
Huntly, Western Australia
and Tanya Bonnici,
Booragoon, Western Australia
Luigino Floris,
Sardinia, Italy
Kevin Barnett,
Pittsburgh, USA
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