Environmental impacts

Product and service management system

Anglo American identifies significant environmental impacts generated by the transportation of products and other materials, such as transportation of ore, from which material is collected for final disposal, and oil, which is disposed of in the plant’s furnaces for use of its calorific power.

In 2009, small leakages were observed in product loading and unloading processes, in addition to generation of waste due to cleaning of trucks and carryalls and dust emissions.

Management systems are present at all units and are verified on an annual basis by audits. The company has deepened the criteria for identification of impacts. The units assess risks inherent to their processes (such as soil and surface & underground water contamination, loss of fuels, depletion of natural resources and contribution to greenhouse effect) and continuously develop actions to be taken in order to mitigate them.

This includes abnormal or emergency situations, which are identified, described and simulated on a regular basis, so as to ensure quick response in case of real incidents.