Our operations on Christmas Island recognise its unique and sensitive environment. A large part of the Island – around 63 percent – has been placed in a national park. By contrast, mining leases cover 14% of the Island.
Instead of being required to rehabilitate its mining leases at the end of the mine life, PRL pays a conservation levy to the Australian Government for rehabilitation and conservation purposes. The Government uses these funds on rehabilitation and conservation purposes beyond the existing mining leases. The Christmas Island Minesite to Forest Rehabilitation Programme (CIMFR) was launched in 1989 to preserve the endemic species and to rehabilitate parts of the national park.
Environmental Policy
The operations on Christmas Island occur in a unique environment which comprises rainforest, major seabird colonies, spectacular land crab populations, pristine marine habitats and a high number of endemic species.
Christmas Island is also the home of some PRL employees and shareholders and as such the Company is committed to maintaining the unique environment of the Island while at the same time contributing to its economic development.
PRL’s environmental policy is to:
- Minimise the effects of its activities on the environment;
- Contribute funds through the conservation levy to enable the government to rehabilitate affected areas to the maximum extent possible;
- Protect the health of employees, residents and visitors to Christmas Island;
- Be a leader in environmental sensitivity and care.
In addition, PRL is committed to:
- Complying with applicable environmental laws and regulations;
- Applying appropriate environmental standards to their operation whilst striving for continual improvement to those standards;
- Working with Parks Australia and other agencies responsible for maintaining effective environmental care;
- Providing education and awareness programs for all employees on environmental policy, standards and procedures; and,
- Consulting with the community on environmental matters.
In addition to our ongoing environmental work, PRL is dedicated to ensuring that the 63% of Christmas Island that is currently covered by the National Park is preserved for future generations.
PRL is endeavouring to achieve this by offering to fund urgently needed trials for a crazy ant abatement program as well as providing funding for other feral eradication reviews and research into recovery methods for the critically endangered Pipistrelle bats.