This is a category B project according to IFC's Environment and Social Sustainability Policy. Based on information reviewed by IFC, the proposed project will have limited site-specific potential adverse environmental and social (E&S) impacts that are few, largely reversible, and that can be readily addressed through mitigation measures. Key E&S risks and issues include (i) the company's management and monitoring systems and organizational structure to assess and manage E&S risks and impacts from its operations, as well as those related to the construction of the new aluminum can manufacturing plant; (ii) labor and working conditions construction and operation including occupational health and safety (OHS), workers’ grievance mechanism, including gender based violence. and harassment (GBVH); (iii) resource efficiency and pollution prevention; (iv) emergency preparedness and response with a focus on life and fire safety; (v) impacts on nearby community health and safety related to increased traffic and noise; (vi) limited livelihood impact on two farmers; and (vii) the company’s stakeholder engagement activities related to E&S aspects and community grievance mechanism.

 The company identifies and manages E&S risks and impacts associated with its operations through compliance with applicable national standards and E&S regulatory permits and requirements. Impacts of the aluminum cans manufacturing plant have been assessed in the preliminary environmental impact assessment (EIA Stage I) per national law, and approved prior to the construction by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change. The full impact assessment (EIA Stage II) was determined to not be required by the Ministry. East Can Solutions will submit the Statement of Environmental Consequences (EIA Stage III) before the plant commissioning and obtain other permits in compliance with national regulatory requirements (ESAP#2). To supplement the national-compliant EIA, the company completed a rapid Environmental and Social Assessment (ESA) in line with IFC PSs requirements. Both the preliminary EIA and ESA indicate that the potential project-related E&S risks and impacts are expected to be limited and site-specific and can be addressed through the project design and mitigation measures. 

The company has developed Health, Safety & Environmental (HSE), Human Resources (HR), Social and Ethics policies, Code of Conduct, and a Statement on Freedom of Association. To manage, monitor and minimize the project’s E&S impacts, East Can Solutions will update and implement an existing Environmental & Social Management System (ESMS) in line with the project EIA, ESA, IFC PSs, WBG General EHS Guidelines (2007) and WBG EHS Guidelines for Metal, Plastic, and Rubber Products Manufacturing (2007). This ESMS will be updated in two phases. During the first phase (ESAP #1a), the following ESMS elements will be updated/developed: (i) Environmental, Social, Health, and Safety (ESHS) policies; (ii) Human Resources policy; (iii) risks and impacts identification registers; (iv) standard operating procedures; (v) organizational capacity and competency; (vi) contractor management procedure; and (vii) stakeholder engagement plan and grievance mechanism for external and internal stakeholders. During the second phase, and before operations, the following ESMS elements will be developed: (viii) operational E&S management plans (ESMPs), and (ix) monitoring and review, including regulatory permitting and compliance tracking (ESAP# 1b).

Construction of the aluminum cans manufacturing plant is being carried out by a third-party contractor and supervised by a specialised consultant to ensure compliance with national regulatory requirements. The construction contractor has developed the Health Safety and Environment Plan, Traffic Management Plan and standard operating procedures addressing the requirements of Project EIA, permits and national laws. The construction phase is due to be completed by June 2025.

To manage the E&S performance of third-party contractors, East Can Solutions will develop a contractor management procedure (CMP) as part of ESMS (ESAP#1), which will specify the requirements for ESHS management of contractors, sub-contractors, and third parties. The CMP will outline the process of incorporating project ESHS requirements into the contractors’ and subcontractors’ responsibilities, as well as the process of selecting, hiring, managing, and monitoring them.

The critical raw materials for manufacturing beverage cans are aluminum coils (7000 tonnes/year), which will be supplied from China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Suppliers screening indicated medium EHS exposure risk. The company has developed code of conduct for suppliers, and in accordance with ESAP#3, will develop a Supply Chain Management System (SCMS) for core components and materials suppliers including aluminum to ensure that a due diligence process is established to assess suppliers before entering a commercial relationship and that their practices are aligned with legal and IFC PS requirements. The SCMS will include an updated and IFC PS-aligned code of conduct for suppliers, a supply chain mapping and risk assessment procedure for new suppliers, contractual clauses in purchasing agreements requiring suppliers to comply with the code of conduct, engagement and disengagement procedure for when suppliers are found to be in breach of contractual obligations, and an ongoing supplier evaluation and verification procedure to monitor compliance with code of conduct.

East Cans Solutions has hired Environmental Manager and Health and Safety Manager. These roles will be maintained throughout project lifecycle and will have an overall responsibility for E&S management as well as OHS for the project.

As per ESAP#1, the company will incorporate environmental monitoring procedures in the corporate ESMS to monitor and measure the management programs' effectiveness and compliance with regulatory requirements and IFC PSs. This will include necessary key performance indicators (KPIs) such as records of injuries (Lost Time Incident Rate - LTIR), Life & Fire Safety measures, energy and water consumption, and waste generation.

For the aluminum cans manufacturing plant, the company has deployed up to 100 workers for the construction phase (through a contractor) and will have around 270 employees (including office, engineering dept. and warehouse) for the operations in four shifts. As per ESAP #1, the company will update the existing ESMS, including human resources (HR) policy, and associated procedures according to IFC PS2 and local labor codes, which will apply to all workers. These will reinforce a commitment to non-discrimination, collective bargaining, freedom of association, and prohibiting child and forced labor.

As part of its HR policy and procedures, the company will develop a grievance mechanism (GM) for workers to enable anonymous complaint submission and disseminate it among all direct, contracted, and third-party workers. The HR department will conduct training and awareness campaigns for the GM. The GM will also include provisions for receiving external complaints from surrounding communities and external stakeholders.

Potential OHS risks and impacts include workers’ exposure to noise, heat and dust, as well as risks related to construction and operational works (structural, electrical, and mechanical), delivery of essential services (food and sanitation), vehicular traffic, and incidents (spills, fire etc.). As outlined in ESAP #1b, the company will develop operational health and safety plan and procedures aligned with IFC PSs, World Bank EHS Guidelines, and local regulatory requirements. Meanwhile, the project construction HSE Plan, Traffic Management Plan and standard operating procedures are in place and fully compliant with national regulations and GIIP.

 Construction activities can generate elevated levels of dust and exhaust emission from equipment and machinery, which will be localized and short term. The project-related operations will lead to air emissions from lacquer and paint drying ovens and from combustion due to natural gas burning. As part of the operations ESMPs, air pollution prevention and ambient air quality monitoring will be undertaken to ensure compliance with national regulations and WBG EHS Guidelines for Metal, Plastic, and Rubber Products Manufacturing (2007). (ESAP#1 and #2).

Water for project operations will be abstracted from borehole(s) installed within the site boundary in accordance with the completed hydrogeological feasibility study. A water abstraction permit will be obtained from the regional water authorities before the project is commissioned (ESAP #2). Electricity will be sourced from the national power grid. Project resource consumption (water, electricity) should be comparable to the industry benchmarks specified by the WBG EHS Guidelines for Metal, Plastic, and Rubber Products Manufacturing (2007).

During the project construction phase, all effluents are collected in septic tanks and transported to local wastewater treatment facilities. Domestic and process effluents generated during operations will be treated in an onsite multi-staged wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) prior to being discharged into the  water canal along the project boundary. The WWTP is designed to comply with the national law's effluent level requirements. As part of the operations ESMPs, regular  monitoring  will be undertaken to ensure compliance of the effluent levels with the national permit conditions for discharges, and WBG EHS Guidelines for Metal, Plastic, and Rubber Products Manufacturing (2007). (ESAP #1 and #2).

The company will engage government-authorized contractors to dispose of all solid waste generated during construction and operations. The company will develop and implement a waste management plan per national law and requirements of PS3 and as part of its ESMPs (ESAP#1). Hazardous waste such as waste oil, ink-contaminated materials and old oil filters will be collected by authorized contractors to be disposed of in government-approved hazardous waste landfill. Aluminum scrap generated during project operations (up to 5% of aluminum consumption) will be sold to third-party licensed and specialized companies who purchase and recycle the scrap. Any paper, wood, cardboard, plastic, and metal from packaging will also be sold for recycling to licensed specialized companies.

 The aluminum cans manufacturing plant is constructed within the broader Yangikhayat industrial technological park characterized by mixed land use (industrial, residential, and agricultural). Roads delimit the site, farming fields, and two irrigation canals. There are three communities within a 3 km radius of the project site, with the closest residential properties approximately 90 meters from the site boundary and 400 meters from the plant footprint. Engagement with community members to obtain their views and opinions on the project was undertaken as part of the E&S Assessment in 2024.

The communities within the project area of influence may be affected by temporary construction noise and dust, increased traffic during construction and operational activities, as well as unlikely accidental events such as leaks and spills that could pollute the soil and water. As per ESAP#1, the company and contractors will manage and minimize project-related impacts on the communities by implementing site-specific ESMPs.  

Third-party contractors are expected to manage the transport of goods at the aluminum cans manufacturing plant. All third-party contractors will comply with the relevant E&S conditions included in their contracts and Supplier Code of Conduct. As per ESAP#1, East Can Solutions will develop an operations Transport Management Plan which will define transport at the site, and transport of raw material and products to and from the project site.

Security personnel will be hired at the aluminum cans manufacturing plant. As part of the ESMS, East Can Solutions will prepare a Security Management Plan, summarizing security rules, procedures, as well as roles and responsibilities. Regular training will be conducted by the company for the security workers and guards on the implementation of the security rules. The external grievance mechanism prepared by the company will allow neighboring communities to express any concerns about the security arrangements and acts of security personnel. The plan will be aligned with IFC’s Good Practice Handbook on the Use of Security Forces: Assessing and Managing Risks and Impacts. The security personnel will be regularly trained on gender-based violence and harassment (GBVH) and codes of conduct.

 As part of the project ESMS (ESAP#1), the Group will prepare a stakeholder engagement policy and site-specific stakeholder engagement plan for its operations, and Grievance Mechanism for external stakeholders.

 Contact Person: Mr. Ilya A. Kim

Company Name: East Can Solutions Llc

Address: 74 Bobur str, Tashkent Uzbekistan

Email: kimilya@mail.ru