The environmental impact assessment applies a rigorous methodology setting out the importance of the project’s impacts on the environment and on public health and safety, and allows identifying measures to mitigate or compensate negative impacts. Initiated in March 2009, the assessment will be completed in December 2009.

Positive impacts:

• Environment
  • Meet future emission standards by replacing the Soderberg series (A, B and C) with a new series using a prebake technology that is more advanced, particularly as regards emissions
  • Reduce air emissions (namely PAHs, fluorides, dusts, and greenhouse gases)
  • Increase energy efficiency
• Durability
  • Maintain long-term employment opportunities and enhance the performance of existing prebake technology cells
• Plant production capacity
  
  • Increase production from 440 000 t/yr to 550 000 t/yr by the end of 2015
• Economic spin-offs
• Consolidation of jobs at the Alcoa smelter in Baie-Comeau

Main impact concerns:

Construction phase:

• Noise and dust from construction work and heavy vehicle traffic
• Demolition waste materials