constructionequipmentmag.com
13
'21
Written on Modified on
Blumaq News
THE CARBON FOOTPRINT WITHIN THE PUBLIC WORKS AND MINING MACHINERY SECTOR
Regardless of the problem that the pandemic has brought us at the global level, there is an issue that every day is increasingly necessary to face, the environmental commitment. Pollution and the challenge of making a company sustainable is a hot topic that concerns us all. In fact, today the carbon footprint in the machinery sector is a major issue.
The importance of the carbon footprint indicator
The carbon footprint is a sustainability indicator that allows companies to objectively measure the polluting emissions that their activity generates in a sector.
When we talk about polluting emissions, we are not only referring to CO2 (despite being the predominant one), but also to other greenhouse gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, methane, perfluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, among others.
In the near future, the carbon footprint for a company may become a new KPI that “directly affects its income statement”.
The carbon footprint indicator is essential in all types of companies, to identify their level of sustainability, comply with regulations in environmental terms, reduce costs, create a good brand image or, for example, to be eligible for certain subsidies.
In this sense, we must highlight the ISO 14001 standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS), for the management of environmental risks, and the UNE-EN ISO 14064 standards for greenhouse gas emission reports (GHG emission).
The carbon footprint in the public works and mining machinery sector
In the construction and mining machinery sector, managing the carbon footprint is still a pending task for many of us. However, it is an issue that affects different stages and business processes: the manufacture of the machinery, its maintenance and transport, its uses or possible recycling, etc.
How can we calculate the carbon footprint?
In view of the following indicators, we may be able to calculate the carbon footprint that our company leaves on the environment:
- Identify the environmental impact generated by the activity of a company in all its processes.
- Define cost reduction opportunities effectively and which in turn, lead to minimizing and controlling the emission of carbon gases.
- Collaborate with specialists who can advise us on all sources of greenhouse gas emissions and associated risks.
- Involve the entire workforce, especially operations personnel.
- Base on the ISO 14001 and 14064 certifications and prepare a report (which must be done by the company specialized in environmental sustainability compliance)
Thus, by following these steps we will be able to have access to subsidies to reduce our carbon footprint and, of course, become a benchmark in the sector.
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