Water management

Responsible management of water withdrawal, use and discharge, in accordance with the main axes of the MYTILINEOS Environmental policy

The main potential risks relate to the main production units of the Company and are the following:

• The potential reduction of aquifer reserves (ground water) which the Company uses for its production activities as well as for covering the water supply needs of its local communities’ settlements. This potential risk may result in the reduction or suspension of production, in complaints from the local communities and in increased operating costs through the use of water supplied by public utilities as an alternative source.

• Possible future changes in the water withdrawal limits and water discharge parameters provided for in the Environmental Terms Approval Decisions of the Company's industrial plants, in particular in the Metallurgy and Powe & Gas sectors. This is a potential risk that may result in increased capital costs and in operational maintenance costs associated with the development of alternative water reserves.

With the aim of more efficient water management, the Company implements effective water management practices and continuous improvement programs in all its main production units. Particularly:

• Water withdrawals from ground water in the Metallurgy sector are obtained from a controlled network of wells (boreholes) which allows water to be replenished naturally after withdrawal in a short time through rainfall, snowfall etc. (renewable sources).

• Water recycling and reuse programs are implemented to the maximum extent possible in the production processes or in secondary uses.

• Risk & Impact Assessments of the aluminium plant area’s aquifer are carried out, as well as hydrogeological studies.

• In the energy complex of Agios Nikolaos, Viotia, for the cooling of the towers of the thermal power plant, discharged seawater from another unit is systematically utilized, thus avoiding withdrawing a significant amount of seawater.

• On an annual basis, internal targets for the critical water withdrawals are set for each area of activity with the greatest impact, while rainwater is collected and reused.

• Water resources management includes monitoring of water discharge in all production units and subsidiaries to ensure the quality of wastewater. The management of the water discharges resulting from MYTILINEOS’ activity is fully controlled and takes place by monitoring the parameters determined by the environmental terms and regulations under which the facilities of the company’s Business Activity Sectors have obtained their environmental licenses.

• In order to control the quality of the disposal of the treated liquid industrial waste, measurements are taken on a continuous basis according to specific parameters determined by the applicable Environmental Terms Approval Decisions and the Water Use Licenses.

• ISO 14001:2015
• CDP – Water Security
• GRI Standards
• SASB Standards
• UN Global Compact