Environmental Studies Essay: BHP Billiton and Uranium Mining

This essay delves into the environmental issues associated with BHP Billiton, a major mining company. It identifies key environmental concerns, such as the impact of its operational activities on environmental sustainability. The essay examines BHP Billiton's approaches to address these issues, including sustainability reporting, CSR, and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A significant portion of the essay focuses on uranium mining, specifically the Jabiluka site in Australia, and its environmental consequences, including land and water pollution, and health risks to local communities. The essay critiques the company's and the Australian government's handling of these issues, particularly the trade-offs between economic benefits and environmental and health concerns. It suggests the need for more effective environmental policies, including recycling programs, stricter regulations on emissions, and relocation of mining activities away from residential areas. The essay also emphasizes the importance of prioritizing the health and well-being of local communities and reducing the environmental footprint of mining operations.

ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ESSAY: Environmental Studies......................................................................................................1
A. Identification of major environmental issues indulged with BHP Billiton.......................1
B. Discussion relevant with Uranium mining and Jbiluka Environmental impacts or issues 3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

ESSAY: Environmental Studies
A. Identification of major environmental issues indulged with BHP Billiton
To have the best environmental sustainability in the current scenario here is need to make
the better governance of the financial instruments as well as understanding the usage of
suitability report. Hence, in BHP Billiton the company belongs to mining business and have the
effective operational activities which in turn somehow affecting the environmental sustainability
(Masterman-Smith and et.al., 2016). Thus, in context with enhancing the health and
environmental security for employees the organisation has adopted techniques of preparing
reports which reflect the performance of entity in the annual year and the necessary steps which
bring pollutions. Hence, there will be use of sustainability reporting and CSR, integrated
reporting, CO2 emission, Green house gas Emission etc. are the techniques which helps the
mining industry to lower down the wastage of resources as well as have the favourable control
over the environmental sustainability.
However, BHP Billitton has taken necessary steps In order to attract large numbers of
stakeholders as well as solutions to resolve environmental issues. Hence, there can be various
major issue that this mining industry has felt. Hence, such steps will help organisation in taking
necessary steps to for attracting the large numbers of stakeholders in context with rising the
capital revenue that will help them in processing the operational activities (Ali and et.al., 2017).
Thus, it can be said that the fir is planning to monitory the environmental damages with such
approaches which are the main reason behind global warming. Thus, they have made several
approaches to resolve such issue which are as follows:
 Optimum utilisation of the natural resources such as water, sand etc. which helps in less
damage to environment as well as firm is planning to start recycling of such sources that
will be beneficial for the entity as well as for nature.
 In order to fix the Greenhouse gas emission issues, firm is planning to resolve such issues
by energy usage and in the daily tasks of the organisation (Environmental sustainability,
2017).
 Professionals at BHP Billiton has planned the strategies which are based on the various
steps such as identification of the problems, proper execution or control of such decisions
as well as managing the material risks in different phases of business.
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 Firm has contributed in enhancing the biodiversity as well as helps in improving the
natural resource management with the aim of facilitating the healthy and secure
environment to the society. Hence, in accordance with the climate change the organisation has developed the three
segmentation of the reporting techniques such as adaptation, mitigation and low
emission.
HSEC Reports:
By considering health safety environment and community report of 2001 In which BHP
Billiton has developed various policies which will help the business as well as the local
community who are living nearby the mining plants. Hence, there has been serious decision
made by operational managers such as zero or fewer harm to people and environment which in
turn improving the health and safety at the mining sites as well as improving the global
environment. There has been started the use of various CSR reporting as well as sustainability
which in turn helps in monitoring the consistency of HSEC management system. Thus,
management of the strategies will help the firm in conducting regular inspections over the areas
of loopholes ans well as necessary steps to be taken to cover the local issues (HEALTH SAFETY
ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY REPORT 2001, 2017). Hence, this reporting will help the
firm in analysing the essential human rights such as internal environment where the proper work
facilities to be awarded to employees as well as recycling of the resources which in turn helps the
society in having healthy environment.
However, in the current scenario BHP Billiton has developed various techniques to lower
down environmental damages such as discovering the new ways to reduce wastage of the natural
resources. Hence, they have valued such factors as safety and environment as a responsibility as
well as helps the firm in better operational performance or increase the efficiency of firm. Thus,
these new policies helps them in fetching the trust of stakeholders as well as they have been
awarded with the best return over their investment, it helps them in building good relationship
with consumers, suppliers or distributors (Venables and Boon, 2016). However, in accordance
with the operational activities of this firm, the firm usually deals in the various mining functions
such as in Australia it is mainly does discovery of copper, iron ore nickel and coal while in
America is focuses over Zinc, iron ore, potash, coal and copper etc. on the other side, in dealing
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with petroleum products the firm usually operates in countries like Australia, Tobago, USA and
Trinidad where the operations relevant with production and development of the gas operation,
conventional or unconventional oil manufacturing activities.
By considering such environmental issues it can be said that the firm is need to develop
more effective policies or discoveries which will help them in controlling the such problems.
Hence, it will be suggested that there is need to develop a recycling or filter plant which will help
them in reducing the wastage of such natural resources as well as they will reuse it (Connell,
2016). In accordance with, gathering the large amount of stakeholders they need to pay attention
over preparing the reports like sustainable reporting, integrated reporting CSR etc. such
repiorting helps the firm in identifying the corporate and social responsibilities of te firm as well
as analysing the requirement s of the employees or workers who are handling the operational
activities of the firm. In accordance with the effective environmental control they must
implement various rules and regulations related with reducing the Greenhouse gas emission,
CO2 emission, So2 or No2 emissions. Thus, the maximum damages which are faced by the
environment is relevant with the gases and water pollution so BHP billition's professionals must
include such beneficial decisions.
B. Discussion relevant with Uranium mining and Jbiluka Environmental impacts or issues
The issue was relevant with the production of Uranium within the territory of Kakadu
National Park at Australia which in turn become the main environmental issues. Hence, due to
mining at such place in accordance with manufacturing such products which produces Nuclear or
toxic particle namely Chernobyl which in turn reflects the high radioactive content. Thus, this
by-product in uranium manufacturing contains the 85% of the radioactive particle which is
highly dangerous as well as pollutant article which in turn affecting the local bodies as well as
environment (Lee, 2017). Thus, those toxic radiative components were spreading over the wet
land as well as damaging the fragile ecosystem of the country. Hence, it was provoking the land
pollution as well as the influencing the health and living of the local society. In accordance with
such issues the company has covered the problems with facilitating the better financial benefits
to their employees as well as large numbers of job opportunities to them (Uranium Mining,
2017). Thus, they have offered the mining land to the local aboriginal group at the price of $200
million which in turn reflects the company's mitigation tactics but it was harmful for them.
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However, in the current scenario the Aboriginal group were asked for the healthy
environment as well as forego lifestyle which in turn covered by monetary and financial benefits
such as jobs and large amount of revenue paid to them. Hence, such techniques will satisfy therm
in better economic conditions but do not highlight the exposure of workers in such toxic
environment. Hence, the Australian government were also in favour of improving the economic
standards of the locality and giving less attention towards health and hazardous issues. Hence,
this in turn beneficial for Jabiluka Mine in context with having the better operational activities as
well as will be able to have great turnover. Hence, the value of uranium in the current time is
very high and effectively have huge demands for developing the nuclear weapons and well as
power weapons for submarines (Nirola and et.al., 2016). Thus, it can be said that the firm is
having good demand as well as monetary benefits from governments too as well as the Govt. is
also having beneficial intention which in turn having strong nuclear power for better defence of
country. Hence, it can be said that such actions or are giving them the ability to satisfy their
personal motive which are not helping the living condition or health of the local society in
Kakadu National Park. Hence, it can be said that in the coming time the people will be facing
very tough health issues as well as it will be life threatening for them and their families.
Hence, in accordance with such case it will be suggested that Australian government need
to make the effective decisions which in turn must help the living conditions of the local
individual as well as strong actions must be taken by them in against such organisations. In
context with mining firm it can be said that they must find solutions in reducing the by-product
and level of toxicant due to production of uranium. Hence, there can be use of uranium in the
manufacturing the nuclear weapon which in turn helps the country's defence power as well as it
will be better in building the nation's power in army, navy and in air force (Masterman-Smith
and et.al., 2016). Thus, They have to pay attention over land pollution and the highly toxicant
radioactive particles which are affecting the nature such as Alligator River system, plants and
herbs at such places as well as living beings. Hence, to secure the natural environment at such
place there is need to implement various laws, rule and legislation in the production of such
things which in turn helps to lower down the environmental damage as well as also influence the
better living. In spite of using the labour force in the completion of such mining activities there is
need to implement the machineries and various vehicles as well as such operational activities
must be held far away from the residential areas.
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However, the production of Uranium which are segmented in three kinds of isotope such
as uranium-234,235 and 238. Hence, such product has reflected the various toxic radio active
particles such as Gamma radiation, electromagnetic radiation and X-rays. Thus, such
components are highly influencing for the health issues (Uranium: Its Uses and Hazards, 2017).
As well as it creates the large numbers of environmental as well as health issues. It can be the
reason behind global warming due to Gamma radiation the temperature of earth will raise and
with will affect the living beings at such locality. These are the major health issues which are
need to be resolve by the government as well as they restrict Jabiluka in mining at the residential
areas. Further, it can be said that the firm must stop doing operations which are harming the
environment as well as are life threatening to people. Thus, they must start focusing upon
securing major health issues as well as facilitate the better work environment to the individuals.
In accordance with Jabiluka it can be said that, they are focusing upon facilitating the
local individual with monetary benefits and job opportunities which is not included the process
of lowering down the environmental issues. They will go to reduce the brand image as well as
goodwill of the firm (Venables and Boon, 2016). Thus, it can be said that, to gather the effective
amount of investments the firm need to pay attention towards solving such health issues as well
as facilitating the local bodies with health benefits. In spite of doing mining for uranium they
must change the operational activities or stop producing such things.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ali, A. and et.al., 2017. Environmental impact of coal mining and coal seam gas production on
surface water quality in the Sydney basin, Australia. Environmental Monitoring and
Assessment. 189(8). p.408.
Connell, J., 2016. Rural change in Australia: population, economy, environment. Routledge.
Lee, K. H., 2017. Does size matter? Evaluating corporate environmental disclosure in the
Australian mining and metal industry: A combined approach of quantity and quality
measurement. Business Strategy and the Environment. 26(2). pp.209-223.
Masterman-Smith, H. and et.al., 2016. The emerging field of rural environmental justice studies
in Australia: Reflections from an environmental community engagement program. Journal
of Rural Studies. 47. pp.359-368.
Nirola, R. and et.al., 2016. Screening of metal uptake by plant colonizers growing on abandoned
copper mine in Kapunda, South Australia. International journal of phytoremediation,.
18(4). pp.399-405.
Venables, A. and Boon, P. I., 2016. What environmental, social or economic factors identify
high-value wetlands? Data-mining a wetlands database from south-eastern Australia.
Pacific Conservation Biology. 22(4). pp.312-337.
PDF
HEALTH SAFETY ENVIRONMENT AND COMMUNITY REPORT 2001. 2017. [PDF].
[Available through] :<>. [Accessed on 30th October. 2017].
Online
Environmental sustainability. 2017. [Online]. [Available through].
:<http://www.bhp.com/community/environmental-sustainability>. [Accessed on 30th
October. 2017].
Uranium Mining. 2017. [Online]. [Available through]. :<http://www.mirarr.net/uranium-
mining>. [Accessed on 30th October. 2017].
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