Phosphate Research and Sustainable Development

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Phosphate Research and Sustainable Development

• Brian K. Birky, Ph.D.
• Research Director
• Public and Environmental Health
• Florida Institute of Phosphate Research

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The Florida Institute of Phosphate Research (FIPR)
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• An Independent State Research Agency
• Governed By a Board of Directors Appointed by the
  Governor
• Funded by the Severance Tax on Phosphate Rock

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Global Industry

• Applied research
• Based in Florida
• Useful worldwide

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FIPRs Revenue

• Severance Tax
• Subject to market conditions
• Subject to Legislative actions
• Need to Diversify
• Patents
• Intellectual Property

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FIPRs Mission

• Environment and Public Health Research
• Conduct or sponsor research about the safety and
  health of employees, contractors, neighboring
  communities and the public, and the surrounding
  environment
• Technology Research
• Maximize efficient utilization of resources while
  minimizing environmental impacts
• Education and Public Information

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Sustainable Development

• Meet current needs without undermining future
  generations ability to meet theirs
• Principles
• Environmental
• Social
• Economic

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How is it done?

• How does FIPR follow the sustainable development
  model?
• How does FIPR implement a multiple stakeholder
  approach?

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Environmental Principle

• Environmental stewardship
• New technologies must be beneficial to the
  environment or neutral
• Pollution prevention
• Source-control technology, technical innovation
• Resource stewardship
• Maximize mining and processing efficiency
  including water, energy and raw materials,
  minimize losses

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Social Principle

• Safety and human health
• Protect the health and safety of employees,
  contractors, and community
• Stakeholder engagement and transparency
• Develop partnerships and seek input from key
  stakeholders and provide them with relevant
  information in a timely and open manner
• Communities

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Multiple Stakeholder Representation

• FIPRs Board of Directors
• Two from the phosphate industry
• One representing environmental concerns
  (currently from the Audubon Society)
• One representing regulatory concerns (usually
  from the DEP)
• One from the state university system (usually a
  dean or department chair)

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Economic Principle

• Shareholder return
• Economic contribution

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Economics in Research

• Is new technology cost-effective?
• Retro-fitting an existing plant
• Building a new plant
• Has the PI demonstrated a benefit?
• Scientists and engineers need business training

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Serendipity or Common Sense?

• FIPR was almost certainly not conceived with
  sustainable development in mind a quarter
  century ago
• The fact that the principles were incorporated in
  FIPRs design validates the sustainable
  development concept

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In Conclusion

• Almost all of the sustainable development bullets
  in todays presentation were taken from the Rio
  Tinto Borax program and they fit FIPR perfectly