Circular Economy (Waste management)

The main axis of MYTILINEOS’ Environmental Policy is the application of Best Available Techniques in the production process regarding the control, continuous reduction, and proper management of solid and liquid waste through recovery, reuse and recycling techniques, where feasible.

MYTILINEOS fully complies and operates in accordance with the licensing acts of the Region of Central Greece, the Regional Unit of Viotia and the Environmental Terms Approval Decision regarding the management of specific types of waste, which is deposited in a special Bauxite Waste Disposal Site and taken into account during the measurement of the Company's environmental footprint.

Also, the Company seeks the continuous improvement of its ISO14001 certified Environmental Management Systems and the implementation of the guidelines of the ISO 14040 and 14044 international standards as necessary for the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) study, as this is factor that can contribute effectively to enhancing its competitiveness.

Impacts

• Production of secondary aluminium that helps to minimise the environmental impact compared to primary aluminium production, while providing an alternative raw material for aluminium production.
• Enhancement of innovation in the utilisation of bauxite residues resulting from the production of primary aluminium as a raw material for other activities, as well as for the extraction of rare earth elements, through the Company's participation in research projects.
• Responsible management of all hazardous and non-hazardous waste from all production activities, with emphasis on methods of rational collection, treatment, as well as reuse and recycling where feasible.

Major risks

A key environmental risk for the Company is the gradual reduction of available bauxite residue disposal sites, which may result in negative social and economic impacts for the Company.

MYTILINEOS’ Metallurgy Business Unit is responsible for 99% of the Company's total waste, however the Company seeks to ensure the proper management of all solid and liquid waste.

• In every production facility, a liquid waste collection network has been designed and is in operation for treatment and recycling, in accordance with the Company's Environmental Policy, while efforts are made to separate waste at source.
• With regard to the management of wastewater discharges resulting from MYTILINEOS' activity, this is fully controlled and is implemented in line with parameters defined by the environmental regulations and conditions, according to which the environmental permits of its industrial units have been obtained.
• With regard to the management of solid waste, as well as waste that falls under alternative management systems, the company has a system of sorting at source in order to achieve their reuse and recycling by third parties.

• 22% increase of total solid waste which was mainly due to the increase in the production of Excavation, Construction and Demolition Waste.
• 36,9% increase of total solid waste which reused, recycled and recovered in various ways either by the Company itself or through third parties.
• 1,3% of solid waste sent to landfill.