Vale’s operation here in Thompson has been named a finalist for the Mining Association of Canada’s Environmental Excellence Award.

They have being nominated for their SLAM Dunk initiative. It breaks down waste into 13 different streams, which diverts waste from the landfill. SLAM is an acronym from safe production, meaning stop, look, asses and manage.

Ryan Land, a spokesperson for Vale’s Manitoba Operations, spoke to Arctic Radio News about the initiative. He said that it is an innovative waste management program, with the goal being to achieve zero harm to the environment.

He added that waste is sometimes sorted on site through various different bins. He gave the example of his own office, where he has four bins. Land sorts his waste into general waste, general recyclable, white office paper and non-industrial plastic. The contents of the bins are then taken to a larger station before being taken off-site by a third party.

Vale’s Manitoba Operations won a similar award in 2015 for their involvement in the Thompson Economic Diversification Group, though Land was quick to point out that they were just one of the partners who worked together on the initiative.

The award winners will be announced at a gala in Vancouver on May 7th.