Continuous Process Optimisation as Objective

An important aspect of the industry’s activities is production-oriented environmental protection, which results from the need to comply with any restrictions associated with planning permission and to keep emissions within legal limits. The last few years have witnessed the growing emergence of plant-level environmental policies – in addition to legal requirements – that regard environmental protection as a mission with self-imposed objectives. Using eco-audits, for example, one can define targets, tools and measures to reduce the environmental impact of production still further.

Employees are also encouraged to actively participate in this process. A good idea that benefits the environment and benefits employees financially. An internal suggestion scheme is a good way of motivating employees to reduce the impact on the environment.

Systematic Environmental Controlling

At product level, the systematic collection of data of relevance to the environment has asserted itself. Companies can thus determine what effects they are having on the environment and continually optimise their products and processes. It is essential here to consider the environmental relevance of products over their complete life-cycle.

This means broadening the angle of view so that the focus is not only on one’s own location or process. In fact, one can also extend one’s own activities to the product and as far as the consumer. Sustainable development does not cease outside one’s front door: it starts there, takes utilisation into consideration and finishes with recycling.

Big picture versus Tunnel View

The aluminium industry supports life-cycle assessment projects conducted by scientific institutions as well as by customers. It thus makes a factual contribution to what is often an emotional and politically controversial discussion of the environment. However, life-cycle assessments, material flow analyses and eco-audits only throw light onto one aspect of the situation. In keeping with the principle of sustainability, the identification of possible increases or decreases in pollution should always take socio-economic aspects equally into consideration. The utilisation of a product is an important consideration here.