Management of Non-Mining Wastes

Avoiding, reducing, reusing, and recycling non-mine waste

While waste from the mining process represents our most significant waste stream, we also create relatively small quantities of non-mining wastes each year, as a result of the works aimed at maintaining, repairing, dismantling and replacing old production installations and electromechanical equipment. These include, among others, batteries, tires, gear and lubricating oils, absorbents, and filter materials.

In line with expectations set out in our Environmental Policy, we aim to minimize the amount of waste we produce, and we apply the ‘avoid, reduce, reuse and recycle’ hierarchy to our non-mining wastes. Tracking and reporting on these waste streams helps us to compare performance and to identify opportunities for improvement.

Grecian Magnesite has adopted and implements a specific policy for the effective management of our hazardous and non-hazardous non-mining wastes, the key objectives of which are summarized below:

• To systematically track and report the annual quantities of each type of waste produced.
• To minimize the amount of each type of waste produced and reduce its frequency of generation.
• To collect and safely accumulate each type of waste produced in a designated temporary storage area in the form of piles or stacks or, if necessary, within appropriate leak-proof containers (i.e. hazardous wastes).
• To cooperate with authorized waste collectors whose responsibility is to safely remove and deliver each type of waste produced to a relevant approved AMS with focus on waste recycle, recovery and reuse.

Non-Hazardous Wastes

The following types of non-hazardous wastes are systematically generated in Grecian Magnesite’s production facilities:

• Wooden packaging (EWC 15 01 03):

This waste stream contains broken wood pallets deriving from packaging activities carried out in the CCM and DBM final processing facilities. The waste pallets are stacked in designated locations outside each of the aforementioned facilities.

• Mixed packaging (EWC 15 01 06):

This waste stream contains used packaging materials such as big-bags, paper bags and wrapping films deriving from packaging activities carried out in the CCM and DBM final processing facilities. The waste materials are collected in 20-m3 open-top hook-lift skips placed in designated locations outside each of the aforementioned facilities.

• End-of-life tires (EWC 16 01 03):

This waste stream contains used vehicle tires of either low diameter (i.e. < 1400 mm), coming from light-duty pickup trucks, forklift trucks and mini loaders, or high diameter (i.e. > 1400 mm), coming from construction vehicles such as dumpers, excavator-loaders etc. The waste tires are stacked in a designated location close to the company’s vehicle service station.

• Other linings and refractories from metallurgical processes other than those mentioned in 16 11 03 (EWC 16 11 04)

This waste stream contains replaced alumina-silicate firebricks deriving from repair works carried out in the rotary kilns. The replaced bricks are piled in a designated location close to the office building.

• Iron and steel (EWC 17 04 05)

This waste stream contains metal scrap deriving from dismantling of non-active facilities as well as maintenance of worn or partially destroyed equipment. The metal scrap is collected in 10-m3 skips placed in various designated locations within the mine site.

• Cables other than those mentioned in 17 04 10 (EWC 17 04 11):

This waste stream contains wire/cable scrap deriving from various electrical works carried out in the individual production facilities. The cable scrap is piled in a designated location outside the company’s electric shop.

• Paper and cardboard (EWC 20 01 01):

This waste stream contains old stationery and cardboard boxes deriving from office functions as well as from various packaging activities. The paper waste is collected in blue recycle bins placed outside all offices and individual production facilities.

• Discarded electrical and electronic equipment other than those mentioned in 20 01 21, 20 01 23 and 20 01 35 (EWC 20 01 36)

This waste stream contains broken electrical appliances (e.g. domestic refrigerators, telephone sets, fax machines, computer screens, etc) mainly coming from the offices. The electrical waste is kept in a specific storeroom.

• Mixed municipal waste (EWC 20 03 01):

This stream contains non-recyclable municipal waste deriving from the canteen & cafeteria service and the company’s staff. The waste in question is collected in green rubbish bins placed outside all offices and individual production facilities.

• Septic tank sludge (EWC 20 03 04):

This is the sludge layer formed at the bottom of the dual-compartment septic tank aimed for sewage treatment and disposal. The sludge is periodically hauled away by means of a vacuum truck.

Hazardous Wastes

The following types of hazardous wastes are systematically generated in Grecian Magnesite’s production facilities:

• Mineral-based non-chlorinated engine, gear and lubricating oils (EWC 13 02 05*):

This stream contains waste lubricants deriving from greasing and lubrication of both light-duty and heavy-duty vehicles. The waste lubricants are collected in an appropriate underground metal storage tank situated inside the company’s vehicle service station.

• Absorbents, filter materials (including oil filters not otherwise specified), wiping cloths, protective clothing contaminated by hazardous substances (EWC 15 02 02*):

This waste code comprises (i) contaminated filter bags deriving from leak detection and bag replacement activities carried out in the numerous dust collectors (i.e. bag filters) and (ii) cloths & rags contaminated with oil & grease deriving from daily maintenance and repair operations carried out in the various production facilities and workshops. The replaced filter bags are put into special big-bags (i.e. UN big-bags 13H3 with 1-m3 capacity) stacked in a designated location close to the office building. The contaminated rags, on the other hand, are put into special plastic drums (i.e. 220- lt open head HDPE drums fitted with rings) placed outside all individual workshops, machine shops etc. Once completely filled with dirty rags, the containers are gathered all together in a designated location close to the company’s vehicle service station.

• Oil filters (EWC 16 01 07*):

This waste stream contains used oil and air filters for vehicles deriving from relevant replacement activities carried out in the company’s vehicle service station. The oil filters are put in special plastic drums (i.e. 220-lt open head HDPE drums fitted with rings) whereas the air filters are put in special big-bags (i.e. UN big-bags 13H3 with 1-m3 capacity). Both the drums and the big-bags are gathered in a designated location close to the company’s vehicle service station.

• Lead batteries (EWC 16 06 01*):

This waste stream contains old storage batteries for vehicles deriving from relevant replacement activities carried out in the company’s vehicle service station. The waste batteries are put into a special plastic box situated inside the company’s vehicle service station.

• Wastes containing oil (EWC 16 07 08*):

This type of waste derives from the periodic cleaning of liquid fuel storage tanks, i.e. a mixture of water with HFO. The resulting waste is withdrawn from an authorized collector directly from the relevant fuel storage tank by means of a suitable vacuum truck.

During 2023, Grecian Magnesite has successfully recycled a total volume of 287.887 Kg (2022: 361.495Kg - 2021 : 256.167 Kg) of non-mining wastes (by third party, authorized collectors).

Use of hazardous substances: Quantity of classified hazardous substances used in the production process (lubricants are not included), according to Directive 67/548/EEC (tons): ZERO (0).