Continuing its commitment towards preserving and enhancing the surrounding environment, Sohar Aluminium (SA) celebrated Oman’s Environment Day on January 8th, 2015 by inaugurating ‘Landscaping Plantation Project’ at its Power Plant. SA employees and contractors kicked off the project by planting the first 15 of over 900 tree saplings to be planted along the Sohar Aluminium Power Plant (SAPP) operational area perimeter fences.

The remaining tree saplings will be planted around the fence line during January. The saplings will utilise process effluent waste from the steam generating plant and irrigation water from the sewage treatment plant.

As these trees grow in size, they will prevent dust particles from entering the site. This will minimise the dust ingress into the Gas Turbines air intake and auxiliary system air filters thereby protecting the operating equipment.

Since its inception Sohar Aluminium fluoride emissions have been well within international standards in compliance with the Sultanate’s environmental regulations. Nevertheless, SA has always been keen on minimising its environmental footprint and in 2014, SA managed to further reduce its Fluoride emissions to air by 20%.

SA has also reduced its hazardous waste storage by more than 500m3, and the Company is now in the process of recycling some of its main waste streams like dross, spent pot lining, and scrap carbon blocks.

In 2015 Sohar Aluminium aims to bolster its efforts to tackle future challenges. It intends to further reduce fluoride and dust levels and launch internal and external environmental awareness campaigns among its employees and the surrounding community.

Sohar Aluminium was formed in September 2004 to undertake a landmark greenfield aluminium smelter project in the Sultanate of Oman, and it is jointly owned by Oman Oil Company, Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC - TAQA and Rio Tinto Alcan.