MPA updates sustainable development performance

Mineral Products Association publishes its 2018 Sustainable Development Report

THE Mineral Products Association (MPA) has published its 2018 Sustainable Development (SD) Report, which demonstrates the mineral products industry’s commitment to action on sustainability and evidence-based reporting.

Sustainability is relevant to every aspect of the industry’s activities, from quarry development and operation to dredging and recycling, and from manufacturing and transport to the use of its products and materials and the restoration of its extraction sites.

Key observations were as follows:

• Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate – The Lost Time Incident Frequency Rate for direct employees increased from 3.47 in 2016 to 3.59 in 2017, against the backdrop of an overall four-year reduction of 30%. The MPA has set a target of reducing the Lost Time Incident Frequency Rate by 65% between 2014 and 2019 to 1.80 as part of its efforts to achieve Zero Harm.
• Industry risk profile – In 2017, the industry recorded seven fatalities, the highest since 2003. In response, the MPA has reviewed the industry’s risk profile and is focusing on six potential high-consequence hazards that have the greatest potential to result in workplace fatalities.
• Public safety – The industry continues to focus on protecting the general public around active operations, on disused sites and in the transportation and use of its products. Working with national drowning-prevention stakeholders, the MPA seeks to improve public safety through the Stay Safe campaign. The MPA and member companies have continued to act to reduce collisions between industry vehicles and pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users, actively supporting the Construction Logistics and Community Safety initiative (CLOCS).
• People – MPA members directly employ 25,442 people, of which, 86% were male and 14% female. Members undertook 265,779 employee training hours, recorded 6,852 voluntary hours worked by staff during normal working hours, carried out 202 community liaison activities and received 36,357 visitors to member sites.
• Resource use – In 2017, only 3% of crushed rock sales and 24% of terrestrial sand and gravel sales were replaced by new planning permissions. The rolling 10-year average replenishment rates for crushed rock and sand and gravel were 69% and 53% respectively.
• Recycling – The share of the GB aggregates market supplied from recycled sources has increased to 30%, placing the UK amongst the highest in Europe.
• Climate change and energy – CO2 emissions per tonne of hard rock and sand and gravel saw minor reductions in 2017. Direct emissions of CO2 per tonne PCe from the UK cement industry were 25% lower than in 1998 and 0.4% lower than in 2016. A new Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) based on 2016 data showed a reduction in the global-warming potential of cement. The ‘Cement Decarbonisation Action Plan’ was signed jointly by government and industry.
• Transport – 2017 saw an increase in aggregates transported by rail with aggregates and mineral products representing the largest UK rail freight flow by weight. Also, 14.3 million tonnes of marine dredged aggregates were delivered to wharves close to major construction markets.
• Biodiversity – To date, MPA members have recorded the creation of 8,192ha of priority habitat and have a further 11,458ha planned.

Commenting on the findings, Nigel Jackson, chief executive of the MPA, said: ‘While industry sustainability data for 2017 showed positive results in many areas such as recycling, biodiversity, carbon emissions and transport, our workplace safety record was unacceptable and has led to a renewed determination in the industry to ensure that performance reverts to an improving trend. Health and safety improvement remains our top priority in order to protect both the industry and the general public.’

A copy of the MPA Sustainable Development Report 2018 can be downloaded below.