Ecobalance

Starting position and objectives

Natural stone is a natural resource, a valuable material. Alfredo Polti SA pursues an incremental reduction of the environmental impact and an improved environmental compatibility by means of a process optimization of quarrying and other operations. The aim is to reduce the environmental impact to a minimum.

For this reason, Alfredo Polti SA commissioned the company Muttoni & Beffa SA in June 2012 to draw up a life cycle assessment for the company. The development of the environmental impact in the periods before the year 2000, the current year (data from 2011) and up to the year 2025 was examined. This resulted in the framework for feasible improvements in the future and possible alternatives were identified.

Results – Reduction of particulate matter, transport emissions and waste

The results of the eco-balance showed that the fine dust pollution could be significantly reduced over the study period. The optimization of internal transport logistics and the installation of a wetting system along the most heavily trafficked roads made it possible to reduce fine dust by 1.5 tons/year. With the merger of the two quarrying areas in 2013, it was possible to optimize the entire quarry and thus achieve a further reduction of fine dust by 8%.

The introduction of particulate filters on most of the construction equipment in Alfredo Polti SA’s inventory allowed the reduction of environmental pollution by 200 million UBP/year. Furthermore, the reuse of Alfredo Polti SA waste through gravel and sand production for road construction led to a reduction in the volume of waste.

Outlook – further reduction of particulate matter possible

The further development of Alfredo Polti SA in the direction of an underground gneiss quarry enables an important additional improvement of the particulate matter load until the year 2025. Currently, the feasibility and planning of the measure are being clarified.