Environment and Waste Policy

Purpose. This policy sets out how CAQA Polyform Plastics and Cable manages air emissions, noise, waste, regrind, water and chemicals to comply with environmental law and reduce its footprint.

1.Commitment

CAQA Polyform Plastics and Cable will comply with the Environment Protection Act 2017 (Victoria), the Environment Protection Act 1993 (South Australia) and the general environmental duty, will prevent pollution from its operations and will reduce waste, energy and water use year on year.

2.Air emissions and fumes

Fumes from PVC and rubber processing, purging, cross-linking and hot vulcanising must be captured by the local exhaust ventilation and discharged through the filtered stacks. Extraction must be running before a mill, PVC line or press is started. Purgings must be cooled in the purge station, not on the floor. Stack filters will be inspected monthly.

3.Waste, regrind and recycling

Runners, start-up scrap, rejected parts and pipe offcuts must be segregated by material and colour and granulated for regrind where the setting sheet allows a regrind percentage, or sold to a recycler where it does not. Contaminated material, rubber scrap, cable offcuts and copper must go to the labelled skips. Copper scrap must be weighed and recorded because of its value. Nothing must be burned on site.

• Regrind used only at the percentage and from the source on the setting sheet
• Copper scrap weighed and recorded on the job card
• Rubber scrap and cured offcuts to the rubber skip
• Contaminated and mixed polymer to general waste

4.Chemicals and spills

Resins, masterbatch, rubber chemicals, peroxides, solvents and adhesives must be listed in the Hazardous Chemicals Register with a current safety data sheet before use. Liquids must be stored on bunded pallets or in cabinets. Spills must be contained with the spill kit and reported. Peroxides must be stored in the cool cabinet away from accelerators and reducing agents.

5.Noise and water

Granulators, mills and compressors must be operated within the enclosures provided and the noise limits at the boundary will be measured annually. Cooling water must be recirculated through the chiller and cooling tower and treated to prevent scale and biological growth. Process water must not be discharged to stormwater.

6.Review

Waste volumes, regrind use, energy and water will be reported quarterly. This policy will be reviewed annually.