Environment
GOALS
Lower our average specific energy consumption (amount of energy per net production volume) by a further 11 percent from 2013 on. Overall, from 2007 to 2022, we will have brought our specific energy down by one-third.
Corporate entity: WACKER Germany
Deadline: 2022
Reduce specific CO2 emissions by 15 percent per metric ton of net production – while maintaining a comparable product portfolio – from 2014 onward.
Corporate entity: WACKER Germany
Deadline: 2022
Lower particulate-matter emissions by 25 percent for a comparable product portfolio. Reduce emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs). Based on the adapted assessment method for NMVOCs, work out the reduction potential for this substance group.
Corporate entity: Groupwide
Deadline: 2022
Protect rivers and other surface water even better against harmful substance escapes. This includes a groupwide study to identify potential risks and take countermeasures. Develop additional measures as part of our plants’ safety plans to increase the protection further.
Corporate entity: Groupwide
Deadline: 2015
FUTURE TOPICS
Energy
WACKER is continuing to work on improving its energy efficiency. The planned start of polysilicon production in Tennessee in 2015 will increase our electricity consumption. We aim to reduce our weighted specific energy consumption (amount of energy per unit of net production output) in Germany by one-third by 2022, with 2007 as the base year.
Air
With our quantifiable environmental goals, we intend to decrease the impact of our production activities on the environment. An example of how we are working on achieving our CO2 target is illustrated at the Burghausen site, where WACKER POLYMERS has invested in an ethylene-recovery plant in order to further improve the sustainability of its VAM (vinyl acetate monomer) plant. With it, we aim to annually recover 2,400 metric tons of ethylene from the VAM plant’s waste gas and return it to the VAM process. This is equivalent to 6,800 metric tons fewer carbon dioxide emissions per year. This recovery plant started up in the first quarter of 2015.
Soil and Groundwater
In 2015, we applied for a permit as required under German water law in order to withdraw more groundwater at the Burghausen site in the future. We want to do this to ensure the quality of our ultrapure water supply and, in particular, to bridge periods of poor quality surface water. An extensive monitoring program will accompany the withdrawal of groundwater. This will include groundwater level measurements, discharge measurements at three streams in the Haiming municipality and a functional check of the habitats in the riparian woodland, including nature-conservation inventories. This is how we aim to ensure that the groundwater withdrawal does not negatively impact nature, e.g. water quality and tree growth in the nature reserve.
Biodiversity
In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development passed the Convention on Biological Diversity. In May 2011, the EU Commission published a biodiversity strategy to 2020. We are collaborating with the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) to implement this strategy in the German chemical industry.