AMTECH

AMTECH restores mining and oil drilling sites in Colombia, mitigating the negative environmental consequences of these fast-growing industries.

The context: Oil and mining industries experience rapid growth in Colombia.

• Oil extraction and mining industries continue to expand rapidly in Colombia, and innovation is required to minimize their negative environmental impacts.

• An average sized oil well generates 1,200 tons of waste, which contaminates surrounding grounds and ground water sources. Oil related waste is known to be highly toxic and detrimental to human health.

• Large scale mining has great impact on mountainous landscapes, leaving behind massive deserted pits.

A mining site before and after the restoration process carried out by AMTECH, including soil improvement and reforestation.

• AMTECH manufactures mobile treatment plants that decompose oil waste through a combination of micro-biological and chemical processes, preventing ground and water contamination. The technology can also be applied to other contaminants like chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

• AMTECH is also restoring mining sites by covering pits, applying organic products that restore soil’s nutrients, and finally reforesting these sites.

• The company works with Colombia’s Ministry of the Environment to ensure the creation and implementation of contamination treatment systems by oil companies across the country.

AMTECH’s environmental impact

• AMTECH’s collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment will bring about stronger normative to prevent contamination generated by oil drilling

• The company’s work on mining sites restores soil’s nutrients and, captures GHG emissions through reforestation. Organic agriculture products are also manufactured with decomposed oil waste. These become cheaper alternatives for local farmers.

• AMTECH is developing systems that address contamination caused by illicit crop destruction, which has caused soil depletion across the country.

AMTECH’s social impact

• AMTECH’s staff is composed of people who have been internally displaced by the Colombian conflict, providing them with a permanent source of income and the ability to reintegrate in local communities.

• Through its treatment of soils and water, AMTECH prevents health issues in communities living near drilling or mining sites, highly reducing their exposure to carcinogenic substances.

The road ahead

• Amtech is working to get support from the government to work on the restoration of areas affected by the eradication of illicit crops.

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