Cleaner Production Techniques in the Peruvian Mining Setor Based on ISO 14001 Audits

The mining sector accounts for more than 50% of the Peruvian total exports and it is the fastest growing industry in Peru where more than 30% of the foreign direct investment has been allocated. Furthermore, it is the most regulated sector in Peru, so it faces, more than ever, pressure from regulators as well as stakeholders. Given this situation, several mining related companies decided to comply with the ISO 14001 standard. In this study one presents findings from ISO 14001 environmental audits performed to 11 mining related companies (4 mining companies and 7 mining subcontractors dedicated to blasting, exploration and extraction). One finds several deviations related to operational controls that lead to negative environmental impacts. Unfortunately, the most common response to these deviations was the adoption of end-of-pipe technologies instead of cleaner production techniques. Hence, one also suggests some cleaner production techniques that could be adopted in order to cope with these deviations.