Novedades Falcondo
Falcondo News
08 de febrero, 2021
Humedales Falcondo, Viudas Volando
February 08, 2021.
Loma La Peguera, Monsenor
Nouel.- The
mining company Falconbridge Dominicana (Falcondo) recently obtained the
recertification of the Environmental Management of its operations, under the
ISO 14001: 2015 standard, emphasizing once again its commitment to the
protection of the environment and to the best practices of responsible mining.
With this new recertification, Falcondo, the first mining company dedicated
to the extraction of ferronickel in the world to obtain an ISO 14001
certification on environmental management, validates its correct application
and operation of the Environmental Management Program that Monseñor Nouel
executes in its mining operations in the province as at its facilities in the
Port of Haina, San Cristóbal. The ISO 14001 standard, under which it has been
certified since 1999, requires the implementation of an environmental
management system with objectives, environmental goals, defined
responsibilities, personnel training activities, documentation and a robust
system to control any changes and progress made.
This evaluation process is carried out every three years to validate the
aspects of the business that have an impact on the environment and to review
the correct application of environmental laws, the improvement objectives and
its management program. In addition to this, Falcondo makes continuous efforts
to integrate this international standard ISO 14001 with other standards, such
as the ISO 9001 quality standard (whose certification it has held since 1994),
the Authorized Economic Operator (OEA) standard, and those related to
compliance in Measures for the Protection of Ships and Port Facilities (ISPS).
Despite the challenges of the current pandemic, the consequences derived
from social distancing and the new virtual reality, in addition to this
recertification process, the company began to endorse the regulations regarding
the protection of the receipt of ships in its port facilities, with the
recognition of the Specialized Port Security Corps (CESEP), a body attached to
the Dominican Port Authority. In the same way, a follow-up audit was also
carried out on its certification as Authorized Economic Operator (AEO),
confirming once again its strategic and reliable link with the Dominican State
for its commercial activities.
"As part of our obligations with the Dominican State, we deliver the
Environmental Compliance Reports (ICA) every six months to the Ministry of the
Environment, in which there is a record of all the activities we execute
according to the Environmental Management Programs, including air quality
monitoring. and water, measurements of emissions into the atmosphere, proper
waste management and control work, and mitigation of environmental impacts ",
explained Edwin Deveaux, Vice President of Falcondo, referring that each of
these elements are verified and audited under the most strict national and
international standards.
Falcondo's properties cover 96,000 tasks, of which in the entire history
of its operations it has carried out mining activities only in around 17,600
tasks, equivalent to 18% of its land. The rest of the property, 78,400 tasks,
is maintained as natural forest guarded, conserved and protected by Falcondo,
mainly from illegal logging and fires. This preserved area serves as a buffer
area for the mined areas for the conservation of fauna and flora.
Humedales Falcondo, Viudas Volando
In the 17,600 tasks intervened for mining activities since the beginning
of Falcondo's operations, more than 62.5% have already been reforested,
equivalent to 11,000 tasks, thus exceeding the requirements of the Falcondo
Environmental Permit, which according to the Ministry of Environment and
Natural Resources (MIMARENA) must be at least 50% of the mined areas. The
remaining 37.5%, 6,600 tasks, remain open for current mining activities.
"Falcondo is proud to be the first ferronickel mining company in the
world to obtain the ISO 14001 certification, which we obtained in 1999, a year
before the Law 64-00 of the Environment existed in the country, and before the
emergence of the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources ", commented
Fernando Cabrera, Superintendent of Environment and Quality of the mining
company. "Since then we have maintained this certification, renewed every
three years through strict annual audits, demonstrating the commitment we have
always had with the proper recovery and environmental rehabilitation of the
areas where mineral has been extracted," he added.