Environmental Stewardship

At Covia, we believe protecting the planet and preserving its resources are part of being a responsible corporate citizen. Our dedication to operating sustainably is firmly embedded in our company culture, and we leverage best practices in environmental management to safeguard the communities where we operate.

Ensuring Responsible Operations

Our ongoing commitment to fostering strong community relationships and acting as stewards of our environment at all our facilities is reflected in our Responsible Operations targets and aligns with UN SDGs 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth; 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities; 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions; and 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

Target: Develop a robust CAP at 100% of our locations to facilitate effective communication, identify areas for improvement, and best respond to community needs

2024 Progress: We reached our goal of having CAPs at 100% of our facilities. These plans provide each facility with a site-specific plan for engaging the community. This approach not only fosters strong community relationships but also enhances our environmental stewardship efforts, allowing us to respond effectively to local needs and share successful strategies company wide.

Target: Implement Covia’s in-house Environmental Management System (EMS) at every site

2024 Progress: Our EMS program is fully implemented at 9 sites, and we are working to finalize implementation across our network.

Reduce Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions

We continue to further our commitments to address climate change in alignment with UN SDG 13: Climate Action.

Target: Reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG Emissions by 20% from our 2021 baseline, on a per-ton basis.

2024 Progress: In 2024, we reduced our Scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity by 10% compared to 2023, and by 11% compared to the baseline.

Protect Essential Water Supply

We continued to align our water management strategy with the United Nations’ objectives regarding availability and sustainable management of water, as defined in UN SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

Target: Recycle at least 90% of water at sites in water-stressed areas and expand reporting on consumption at all facilities.

2024 Progress: Comprehensive reporting is a critical part of our water management approach, and last year we expanded water reporting efforts at 100% of our sites in water-stressed areas. We remain committed to expanding these efforts across all remaining sites.

Preserve, Restore, and Improve Biodiversity

Our robust land management and biodiversity conservation goals ensure we remain responsible stewards of our surrounding environment at all our facilities, supporting UN SDG 15: Life on Land.

Target: Improve ratio of land rehabilitated to land restored

2024 Progress: At the end of 2024, our ratio of land rehabilitated to land disturbed was 1:2, compared to 1:6 in 2023. We increased land reclamation investment across many sites, most notably Covia's Menomonie, Hephzibah, and Junction City Plants.

Target: Implement conservation and biodiversity initiatives at all sites, with 50% of mining and processing sites achieving WHC certification

2024 Progress: Of our 45 sites, 20 are certified by the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC), bringing our total percentage to 44%. In 2024 we expanded implementation of conservation plans, so that 49% of our sites now have a plan in place.

Target: Develop a Species-at-Risk (SAR) Plan at 100% of our mining and processing sites where at-risk species are present.

2024 Progress: We developed 5 new SAR Plans in 2024, bringing our total percentage to 24%. We will continue to adopt these plans across the remaining sites in the coming years.

Highlights That Inspire

Reducing Dust Emissions

To proactively tackle the persistent issue of dust emissions when filling large flexible intermediate bulk containers in our industrial mineral operations, we installed a sealing sleeve at the discharge point at our Lampazos site. This sealing sleeve effectively secures the neck of the bulk bag under pressure, significantly reducing dust emissions and enhancing the safety and cleanliness of the work environment.

Reducing Strain on the Aquifer at Covia's Roff Plant

Each Eastern Red Cedar tree at Roff draws approximately 50 gallons of water from the Arbuckle Simpson Aquifer every day, which adds up to over 18,200 gallons per tree each year. While these trees are native to the area, fire suppression and a state-wide planting initiative in the 1930s (intended to reduce soil erosion) dramatically increased the trees’ spread, and they are now considered invasive. Our team at Roff has made a concentrated effort since 2022 to remove these trees from the property and re-establish the natural grassland. In 2024, almost 1,000 trees were removed, reducing the draw on the aquifer by over 18 million gallons for the year. So far, in total, the site’s management of the trees has saved well over 23.6 million gallons, and the team plans to continue eliminating Eastern Red Cedars.

Improving Waste Management

This past year, we implemented a hopper system, a versatile steel dumpster used in conjunction with a forklift, in our warehouse in Canoitas, Mexico. This system allows us to group four types of waste through a smart management plan and has led to a significant reduction in waste volumes, smoother waste-storage operations, savings on containers, lower transportation and disposal costs, and a reduction of safety risks.