In January 2024, New Afton completed the ISO 14001 recertification audit, marking eleven years of successful implementation and external third-party certification of the Environmental Management System (EMS). An EMS is a standardized set of processes that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts while working to increase operating efficiency. One of the most significant benefits of the ISO 14001 certification is environmental risk reduction and increased stakeholder confidence.
The audit was conducted to evaluate compliance with legal requirements, environmental practices, pollution prevention and continual improvement. It involved various methods, such as documentation review, interviews, and site inspections.
All aspects of the mine site within its control were audited, such as underground mining, mill processing, tailings storage and management, laboratory test work, chemical storage, maintenance, waste management, reclamation, exploration, and surface infrastructure within the mining boundary.
Furthermore, the audit evaluated activities and processes to determine if operational controls are operating according to policies and procedures, as well assessed the effectiveness of preventive and corrective actions. A leadership meeting also discussed the examination of critical objectives and targets.
The EMS is crucial for New Afton to ensure continual improvement towards reducing the mine’s environmental footprint. We would like to thank everyone on site for their efforts in achieving this important goal.
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