KME – Environmental protection

KME not only works with a sustainable material, copper, but has for years established an environmental policy which is fully compliant with Community directives, as well as creating its own environmental protection initiatives.

The KME Group is increasingly committed to environmental themes, and this commitment has resulted in a series of specific initiatives to reinforce its already favourable starting point, founded as it is on the processing of a sustainable material, copper (see box on the right of the page).

Well aware of the key role played by recycling and resource economy, KME has always made best use of scrap materials in its production processes, to the extent that today (2006) scrap makes up 65% of our raw materials for the production of semi-finished products, as compared with the European average of 50%.

KME has taken the following concrete actions in the area of environmental protection :

• A binding environmental policy, established in 2001
• An active participation in the laying out of the BAT in the EC Directive on prevention and control of emissions
• A key role in the launching of Voluntary Risk Assessment for copper
• Product lines intended for alternative energies
• A new Group company directly committed to the renewable energies sector
• A WWF oasis in the heart of the magnificent Pistoia Apennines (Tuscany, Italy)