We sat down with Ionut our new Environment and Stakeholder Advisor for Dunmore Quarry, Dunmore Sand & Soil and Bombo Quarry to find out more about his story.
Meet Ionut-Razvan Ciobanu-Oprea
I started working at Dunmore 18 months after arriving in Australia from Romania where I'm originally from. In September it will be two years since I moved here and this new life I've chosen, this move, has been very positive.
My passion for the environment and nature started about when I started walking. Back then I loved watching plants, flowers and bugs. I still do, but with a different view on how things work.
In 2010 I started working for a company that handled hazardous waste, basically everything but biological and nuclear waste. In that time I learnt a lot about the mining and extraction industry, by literally going through their "garbage". For a while there I traded my work boots for office shoes. I started working in the consultancy business, and it has its rewards, but it wasn’t what I would call a perfect job.
There are many interesting projects here at Dunmore and I am looking forward to getting hands-on experience. One of the best parts of my job so far is the team. The environment management team which I'm part of, but also the local Dunmore Quarry and Sand and Soil teams. They have been very supportive and helped me get a good start.
It's my role to ensure environmental compliance; environmental reporting; liaising with local regulators, Environment Protection Authority, local councils and the local communities around our sites in the area.
As someone who cares deeply about the environment, it’s not easy to see the landscape change due to the extraction or mining industry. But I am also a realist and understand that there is value that we rely on from the mining and extractive industries and there is always a restoration and environment management plan in place.
Steps are continuously taken to reduce environmental impacts along the way and when the life of a site is nearing its end we take steps to rehabilitate the site as well – as we are doing with Bombo.
That’s one of the things I value most about working at Boral. The company’s sustainability commitments are not just words, they’re backed by action, with ongoing projects focused on restoring affected areas.
At Dunmore there are many things that need my attention every day. I can prioritise and switch between tasks in a way that things don't get dull. That's the best thing about my site; it keeps my interest high every day.
The best life advice I have for others is that we always have to keep an open mind. Be open to suggestions and ideas. Don't dismiss an idea just because it comes from a less experienced person, or someone who has a different background to you.
