When you're a career manager, your ears tend to whistle.
From noise to traffic jams created by heavy trucks, through the destruction of a natural habitat or by dust, the industrial minerals industry is doing well with the general public.
While some prejudices are true - we will talk about this later, many accusations are nevertheless unfounded, according to The UNICEM study.
Jean-Claude Lefeuvre, professor at the Museum of Natural History affirms it:” It is possible to operate quarries while respecting the environment. The artificial systems created in this way can even help to compensate for some of the biodiversity losses that are observed in France. ”.
And yes, against all odds, quarries are favorable places for the life and reproduction of species of fauna and flora!
However, there is still a long way to go before they become models of sustainability. This article explores preconceived ideas, proven facts, and best practices for turning careers into real assets for the planet.
Careers and the environment in the collective unconscious
Rock and sand quarries are often synonymous with permanent marks on the environment: to build them, it was necessary to destroy an entire ecosystem and therefore drive out fauna and flora...
Preconceived ideas about the impact of careers on the environment...
Myth 1: quarries destroy the natural habitat of many species and create hostile rocky environments.
The studies carried out show that massive rock quarries in fact create habitats close to natural rocky environments, introducing a break in the agricultural or forest landscape:
- In particular, they expose new minerals beneficial to certain living beings.
- They generate a topographic, climatic and hydrological break in the region and therefore allow the creation of pools and bodies of water.
- New spaces are created thanks to waist fronts, tiles, basins and embankments, in which fauna and flora can find shelter.
Result: they host 35 to 55% of animal species present on the national territory. This figure places them at a level equivalent to that of a Natural Area of Ecological Faunistic and Floristic Interest. And yes, all the same!
Misconception 2: quarries are arid lands that are not conducive to life.
The aquatic areas created by alluvial quarries are the refuge of numerous species threatened by the disappearance of natural wetlands. Besides, 90% of waterbird species present in France frequent these sites during the year. These environments are also favorable to the reproduction of amphibians and certain rare plant species.
... and proven facts!
Misconception 3: a large part of waste is not recycled.
Today, only 65% of construction waste is recycled. They are valued and are part of a complete chain of reuse or circular economy in order to reduce them as much as possible, as well as the impact on the planet and surrounding homes.
Myth 4: quarries waste large volumes of water.
It is clear that quarries consume a lot of water. In France, out of the 3300 quarries that exist, 1750 wash the materials from their production. If this washing of the aggregates is an essential step in order to remove fine particles and to ensure sufficient adhesion with the bonds, such as bitumen, lime, cement.
Nevertheless, some information should be noted that lightens the balance sheet:
- The water used is not necessarily drinkable water
- the water is completely recycled and reused once decanted
- The water is not discharged outside from the back without first checking
- natural settling areas become a habitable environment for fauna and flora
Myth 5: dust that spreads is toxic.
The impacts of dust on the environment are numerous:
- irritation and impairment of respiratory function: the finer the particles, the more deeply they penetrate the body.
- chronic soiling on buildings and exterior elements, depending on the color of the materials
- soil pollution, if it contains heavy metals.
How do you support the environment in your career?
Precise monitoring of your environmental actions
In 2021, you are probably measuring your performance using two indicators: the volume of material extracted and the turnover generated. What if you looked at the situation from a different angle?
You could also use green indicators:
- the impact on biodiversity, by the number of species recorded in the area
- recycling, by the rate of recovery of quarry waste
- the use of water, by the quantity of water per 1m3 of concrete
- noise, by analyzing the decibels emitted by the site
- biodiversity, by the number of trees planted
The valorization of waste
Waste recovery is a priority action in the majority of quarries.
By 2020, the European Union had set a target of recycling 70% of the inert waste generated by construction and public works. This goal has since been exceeded!
Here are the trade unions' recommendations on the subject, which have proven to be effective:
- more rational use of resources and aggregate production based on the real needs of customers: beware of overproduction!
- awareness-raising and team training
- partnerships with local recycling channels
- recycling within the quarry itself by using inert waste for the partial or total backfilling of extraction areas or the production of landscape models
Reducing noise pollution
While the extraction machines are often noisy, it is in fact the back and forth of heavy trucks that bother local residents the most, and more particularly the line of trucks waiting in front of the quarry.
To alleviate this point of tension, the Garandeau Group has implemented numerous actions that can inspire you.
On the gear side:
- use a shell or a rock breaker rather than explosives, when the properties of the rock allow
- Equip your vehicles with quieter alarms during the day and flashing lights at night
- replace dumpers with quiet conveyor belts
- handle material processing facilities as much as possible
- clad your installations as much as possible.
On the heavy truck side:
- streamline site traffic to speed up loading time and reduce the queue, thanks to digital terminals at the entrance and at the exit Of the career
- work with public institutions to benefit from paved access roads in good condition.
Managing dust emissions
On this subject, the unions MIF, SFIC and UNPG led everything a research work on the impact of dust on health and the environment as well as solutions to limit emissions.
Practice vacuum dust removal
We are talking about suction here: it is better to avoid using a blow gun that would spread dust particles even more.
You can set up:
- centralized vacuum
- a punctual aspiration
- an electrostatic dust collector
- a punctual suction by truck
Raise awareness among teams
By the way, that should be the first piece of advice! Teams must be trained in environmental issues as a whole. In the case of dust, awareness-raising will focus on:
- the use of protections during interventions
- Staff rotation for cleaning facilities
Proceed with dust suppression
The idea here is to trap suspended particles with water droplets so that they fall back or do not detach from the materials.
There are 3 solutions:
- irrigation: water is spread at low pressure on a track with agricultural equipment.
- atomization: water is sprayed at low pressure with compressed air
- nebulization: water is projected at high pressure in the form of fog
A good solution for dust but less good for the environment! Therefore, be careful to optimize the quantities of water used.
Ensure the maintenance and upkeep of installations
Beyond the fact that the machines must be maintained so as not to produce additional particles - shaking for example, you must also think about certain elements before the installation:
- Check that the new installations are easy to maintain: choose the material used for the walls and floors carefully, limit the number of corners...
- Arrange workshops wisely to prevent them from being close to a dust source
- Ensure sufficient ventilation in the work areas.
Automate and set up video control
This makes it possible to isolate personnel from sources of dust emissions, to limit the time of exposure to accident interventions alone and to ensure control of the production line in real time.
The transformation of the land
A career must blend in the best possible way with its environment. To do this, it is recommended to plant vegetation and in particular trees around the site:
- attenuate noise pollution
- create a natural boundary
- attract new species of animals
- transform the work environment of your employees
For example, an ancient quarry in Morocco, spread over an area of about 130 ha, planted nearly 12,000 olive trees and 70,000 other species of trees and plants of all kinds in order to create an environment conducive to bees.
This vegetation can be installed in areas where the activity is less or over. More generally, we advise you to think about the layout of spaces in order to ecologically enhance the site.
Beyond the benefits for the planet, you will also be perceived in a much better light by your neighbors.
To conclude, you have all the keys in hand to give meaning to your career and make it a tool with a positive impact on the environment.
At Synaxe, we are very sensitive to these subjects and that is also why we have developed our solutions. So you can
- install entry and exit terminals, to streamline the flow of heavy vehicles on the quarry
- dematerialize your delivery notes, to reduce the quantity of paper used
- automate part of your production line, to limit the exposure of your teams to fine particles.
It's up to you to play now! (and to discover Synaxe solutions, It's over here !)
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