Sustainability
The aggregates industry is based on an ultimately finite resource. The issue from a sustainable point of view is whether or not the human-made wealth created for existing and future generations, justifies the consumption of these finite resources and the disruption involved. The greater the effort made to minimise the adverse effect on the environment, while preparing for, and both during and after extraction, the more sustainable extraction development projects may be. Kilsaran International is firmly of the view that extraction of aggregates whilst benefiting existing generations should not adversely impact on any future generations. Through careful management, opportunities to create more diverse habitats can positively benefit these future generations.
Overview
The company employs a team of full time professional experts in environmental and planning matters. The commitment to good environmental practice starts at the early design stage of any new extraction project. Environmental considerations are factored in to the design, layout, phasing and post closure of all our pits and quarries. There is a considerable amount of legislation relating to quarrying and the environment, which is backed up by Government and the Environmental Protection Agency guidance documents.
Environmental Monitoring
Emissions from an extractive operation may include noise, dust, ground vibrations and blast noise. Ongoing monitoring of surface water and groundwater is essential to demonstrate onsite procedures are preventing pollution, equally where active dewatering is taking place perimeter monitoring of groundwater levels is essential to gauge the impact on the surrounding watertable.
Bio-Diversity
With any quarry there is a disturbance to the ground and a loss of habitat with the potential for a reduction in biodiversity. There are however opportunities to promote biodiversity during and post extraction.
Geo-Diversity
The provision of raw materials to meet the needs of today’s society may also provide an opportunity to examine, explore and understand past geological processes through the exposure of fresh rock/gravel faces.
Archaeology and Heritage
Stripping back of the topsoil may reveal evidence of times when earlier generations of human beings interacted with the landscape. Kilsaran recognises that archaeological heritage is a resource which can be used to gain knowledge and understanding of the past, that archaeological heritage is of great cultural and scientific importance.
Restoration
It is a fundamental principal endorsed by Kilsaran that a quarry site must be restored to a defined after-use once extraction has ceased, ideally this restoration will take place progressively as areas within the quarry become exhausted.