Green field factories
Society’s growing need for insulation to reduce energy waste and CO2 emissions means that the Rockwool Group will be building new factories on greenfield sites.
Demonstrating environmental responsibility is imperative. A new Rockwool factory is always equipped with efficient environmental technology, including advanced filters and afterburners, ensuring that it is safe to live near a Rockwool factory. We comply with all environmental and safety limit values, including ambient air quality. Our technology also makes it possible to re-cycle all stone wool waste, so our new factories will not create a need for extra landfill capacity.
Environmental impact assessment
At the very beginning of the planning process for a new factory independent experts carry out a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to ensure environmental safety. The EIA provides the authorities with detailed information about all relevant environmental issues, including emissions and handling of waste (re-cycling), and it defi nes how the future plant can meet the local requirements. The EIA is based on local conditions, making it necessary to use advanced computer models since the dispersion of emissions depends on topography, specifi c land use (fi elds, forests, houses) and local climate conditions.
Public hearings
Public hearings are held where stakeholders can comment on the EIA report. All relevant comments must be taken into consideration before the authorities can approve the EIA and authorise a permit.
In my backyard?
For many years now our existing factories have complied with environmental regulations. We have been able to demonstrate a high level of protection where no adverse health effects can be expected, even for people who live close to one of our factories throughout their life time. Our long-term neighbours Greenfi eld factories have witnessed that we make continuous improvements, in dialogue with the local community, and do our utmost to reduce any nuisance. In greenfield projects local people and authorities do not have this experience with stone wool production. In this sense new Rockwool factories resemble new wind turbine projects. They are good for an overall sustainable environment, but people may ask ”why should they be located in my neighbourhood”?
Dialogue
When establishing plants at new locations, we do our best to communicate with relevant stakeholders and tell them who we are, what we are producing and how this will infl uence their local community. People appreciate being involved in the process and want to influence such a project. So we must listen and learn from the local ’voice’” in order to be mindful of, and responsive to, local concerns and needs.
Challenges
This process is not without its challenges. Strong feelings – also fears built on myths - are involved, and we experience opposition from people who do not want a new stonewool factory in their community. As the new-comer, we must be sympathetic to their views. Very unusually, the Rockwool Group has been involved in environmental legal action, namely
in Croatia. Here, we have had complaints over nuisances during production start-up, and trial production at our new factory has also been temporarily halted because part of the construction did not satisfy the building permit. This is unsatisfactory. Being a good, responsible neighbour is essential to the Rockwool Group. We will do our utmost to resolve these conflicts and improve communications with our new neighbours. It may be a long process, but it is our aim to establish the same, fruitful and responsible relationships with our new neighbours, as we have with our long-term neighbours.
