Product Stewardship in Explosives Business

Our Approach

Our product stewardship efforts within our explosives business has been focused on improving the sustainability of the input materials we use to manufacture the product, as well as the impacts resulting from its use. This includes activities such as: 

Replacing bulking agents in explosives

Bulking agents are used in explosives to reduce the amount of energy per volume available, making them suitable for use in relatively soft ground.

A research project has been investigating the use of recycled or renewable materials that have the technical characteristics required to be bulking agents. These will replace the materials, such as virgin expanded polystyrene beads, currently used. These bulking materials would typically be considered as waste within the industries that generate them, so an additional benefit of this project is a reduction in waste across the supply chain.

We are working with a major recycling company to identify and trial various mixtures of waste materials. This project is still in the development phase.

Replacing petrochemicals with oils from renewable sources

Our explosives business is researching bio-fuels as an alternative to petroleum-derived hydrocarbon sources for the manufacture of explosives.

Trial products manufactured with the new materials have been promising and have the added advantage of not contributing to Australia's reportable greenhouse gas emissions.

Minimising post-blast NOx fumes

A significant industry issue with the use of bulk explosives, based on ammonium nitrate, is the generation of excessive nitrogen oxides during blasting activities caused by the variable conditions experienced by the products.

As NOx emissions have significant health, safety and environment impacts, we are investing in the development of new products that may reduce these emissions.

We are working with the University of Newcastle on aspects of this project. Funding was approved from the Australian Research Council in May of 2011 in the form of $500,000 over three years, until 2014.

Reducing nitrate leaching

Nitrate leaching into soils and waterways can be an undesirable environmental impact when using explosives. This is particularly a problem when the soil has high water content.

Continuing research is assessing the solubility rates and water resistance of explosive products as well as the impact of different blast designs. This will allow us to advise customers on product selection and use when leaching is likely.

Product impacts across the life cycle

We continuously educate our customers about choosing the right product and blast plan to minimise environmental impacts. For example, nitrate leaching from explosives is a common impact when using explosives. Our research and development teams are researching product solubility rates and water resistance as well as the best blast designs to minimise nitrate leaching. We have already generated an extensive amount of data relative to these phenomena and willingly share the information we have with customers, regulators and the community, so that they can use it to reduce the environmental impact of using our products.

We provide documentation and advice to our customers about:

• product content, particularly with regard to substances that might produce an environmental or social impact, including human health and safety;
• safe use, storage and handling of the product; and
• disposal of the product and environmental/social impacts, as required by the appropriate laws in the countries we supply explosives into.

This advice is supplied on our website, on the product label, in the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) or directly to the customer. In Australia, our SDSs comply with the requirements of Safe Work Australian. SDSs for products that are supplied in the United States comply with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for general industry and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) for products destined for the mining industry. In the 2012 financial year, OSHA requirements for SDSs will transition to the Globally Harmonized System of Safety Data Sheets that will meet the United Nations requirements for hazardous materials.

The sourcing of components of the product is not typically included in product documentation or labelling.