7.1. SR 06-16-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CAMAS inc Readers of the October issue of Pit & Quarry magazine got an insider's view of the philosophy behind CAMAS inc's record of environmental stewardship. It came from President/ CEO Mike Hayes himself. Hayes was interviewed in conjunction with his being named Environmental Steward of the Year, an award co- sponsored by Pit & Quarry and the National Stone Association. For those of you who didn't get a chance to read it, here are some excerpts: What is your philosophy concern- ing environmental stewardship? The environment does not necessarily consist of just the air, water trees and animals. It consists of ourselves: A society that is living, working, playing, and has a future relation to the buildings, streets, transportation - things that society must have in order to enjoy a quality of life. So we as aggregate producers have to recognize what our role is. When we are in the process of providing materials for society, we should take every oppor- tunity to do it in a manner that does the least damage, even on a temporary basis. But in the long run, we have to seek ways to improve the environment and our actual operation. In other words, we know we are going to create a hole. Now, how can we take that and make it an environmental asset in the future? Explain environmental steward- ship at CAMAS. Through a teamwork approach, we've developed an environmental policy that is not used for compliance, although it helps us with compliance. It's more to say, "Okay, how are we doing? Are we actually living an envi- ronmental stewardship?" So it's more of creating the atmosphere, the culture, a consciousness, than it is doing some- thing physical. President/CEO Mike Hayes Why do you think there are so many aggregate producers who view environmental responsibility as a burden as opposed' to a posi- tive contribution to society?' I think there are many aggregate pro- ducers who are just as conscious and concerned. Still, people tend to ask that question. I think that's singling out our industry as being less responsible than others, and I don't believe that. In the industry [during the past], we created holes and we left some bad scars on the landscape, but that was what society expected. It's awfully easy for people to say now, "What they did was horrible." Yes it was, but what society did was horrible. It wasn't that the quarry operators back in those days were exceptionably horrible. Society in general was horrible [about environmental stewardship]. So I don't think there are many aggregate producers who do not see the environment as a part of their responsibility. There are a few, but they're disappearing. They're left over from the days when society had no environmental conscience. What advice do you have for aggregate producers who want to be more proactive with environ- mental matters? Develop a consciousness, not just lip service, of individual responsibility throughout the organization. Along with that comes a recognition that we have a responsibility to educate. You can't ignore the fact that most people don't understand the contribution to the environment that our industry makes; it is immense. In your view, with which envi- ronmental regulations is it the hardest to comply? There are a number of regulations that do not have a lot of scientific founda- tion. Those that are based on emotion become issues where you just can't do enough because sometimes people get carried away and say, "Your dust may cause asthma in one child." Where is the scientific basis in that? It's almost impossible to comply with that type of regulation. What do you think is the number one environmental problem that the aggregate industry is facing right now? Again, it's the lack of understanding that society in general has regarding the role that the industry plays. What is that role? It is to continue to develop ways in which the industry enhances the total environment, which includes wildlife and trees, but also streets, buildings and the ability to communicate. And these things depend on the aggregates industry. We're not something you can eliminate from the environment with- out creating immense additional envi- ronmental damage. How would society get along with lead roofs [instead of asphalt shingles, for example]? What is your proudest environ- mental accomplishment? Is it winning this award? I don't think I won this award; I think the company did. Over the years, our employees - from the top to the bottom - have demonstrated that they understand where they fit in the environment. For that, CAMAS has been recognized as having a sense of responsibility. That makes me pretty proud. What does the future hold for the aggregate industry in regard to environmental matters? We will continue to address dust, noise, pollution. I think the operators of the future should have progressed to the point where environmental compliance with regulations becomes less of an issue. A rule that seemed impossible 10 years ago, we now comply with it every day and don't think a thing about it. But it's the aesthetics of a site - people don't like to look at stock piles or the gravel trucks on the road - that you need to be concerned about, too. I'm confident that as time goes on, we'll be able to deal with those issues. 4