Dubai's outstanding environmental record commended by international experts

The specialists - who between them have considerable experience in similar studies of more than 70 smelters worldwide, highlighted DUBAL's efforts in minimizing fluoride & vegetation injury and emission control and placed DUBAL as having an outstanding environmental record among the leading modern smelters in the world.

"This is another milestone for DUBAL as the aluminium giant stays focused on EHS measures even as major expansion programmes were being carried out during the period under review. The DUBAL policy strictly adheres to the directives spelt out by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister for Finance and Industry and Chairman of DUBAL," said Mr. Khalid Buhumaid, General Manager, Corporate Relations & International Affairs and Official Spokesperson, DUBAL.

The aluminium giant's capacity has grown from a modest 135,000 TPA in 1979 to 861,000 TPA in 2006.

The distinguished environment specialists were Prof. Leonard H. Weinstein from Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research at Cornell University, and Prof. A. W. Davison from School of Biology at University of Newcastle. The environmentalists in their report have stated: "Little fluoride injury was seen being confined to the Main Office building." The survey was completed in May 2006.

A special mention was made by these eminent environment experts about DUBAL's state-of-the-art technology. Their report further pointed out: "DUBAL uses modern technology to control emissions and the house keeping is excellent. This plays a major part in reducing the risk of vegetation injury. Overall, DUBAL has an outstanding environmental record that places it among the leading modern smelters in the world."

Some of the measures that DUBAL has taken include installation of a state-of-the-art 'Tess-Com' analytical instruments for continuous real time monitoring of Fluoride in ambient air. Two permanent stations and one mobile station, installed on site, continuously monitor HF and other pollutants such as SO2, NOx, O3 and PM10.

DUBAL has also extended the programme to install HF units in the monitors at Jebel Ali village and Jebel Ali port, owned by Dubai Municipality, and agreed to share information from these stations. This comprehensive monitoring program was developed and implemented in co-operation with the Dubai Municipality. In addition to continuous monitoring, DUBAL also carries out regular air quality sampling at other locations using techniques recommended by the vegetation experts.

On the technology front, DUBAL uses most modern dry scrubbers for pollution control which work to fluoride scrubbing and recycling efficiencies in excess of 99.75%. Also, efficient fume collection systems installed in the main production centres ensure minimum fugitive fluoride emission to atmosphere. In the newest production lines 'Total Fluoride (gaseous & particulate F)' emission less than 0.35 kg per tonne of aluminium is achieved, which is considered among the lowest emission rates.

Currently DUBAL is considering several technological improvement options to its old production lines and pollution control installations, along with further expansion projects which are expected to elevate DUBAL to a one million tonne smelter.

As early as 2001, after completion of the first major expansion phase, which took its capacity to half a million tonnes of primary aluminium per year, DUBAL commissioned a detailed Environmental Assessment by Mr. Jean-Marie Sala, an aluminium smelter expert followed by a Vegetation Survey by Prof. Leonard H. Weinstein. Their recommendations to regularly sample vegetation at selected locations spread around the smelter and monitor Fluoride content to detect any disturbing trends in advance and to improve emission controls and emission monitoring were subsequently implemented.

"DUBAL has always believed in its commitment to the community through specific measures designed to safeguard environment. The recent survey results clearly indicate the focus areas and the overall measures we have initiated over several years. Such dedicated positive strategies have helped us gain international recognition and we intend to continue this path in the future," Mr. Buhumaid concluded.