Actions
In terms of our circular economy strategy, we have defined the following actions that we wish to implement:
Renewable raw materials – upstream value chain
WACKER is planning to replace fossil raw materials with renewable ones in the long term to reduce the environmental impacts of fossil raw materials. We have been using renewable raw materials in certain product lines (our eco grades) in our Polymers and Silicones business divisions for a few years now to substitute fossil carbon. We use the mass balance approach for this.
We are striving to increase the percentage of renewable raw materials gradually. Due to the currently limited range of renewable raw materials, we continuously monitor their availability and assess them in line with the cost-effectiveness of their use.
Closed and efficient production cycles – integrated production system
We operate efficient and closed production cycles using highly integrated material loops that are in place at our integrated sites in Burghausen, Nünchritz and Zhangjiagang.
The integrated production system also includes integrated material systems, in which byproducts generated in a given process are treated and fed back into the production loop or serve as raw materials for other processes. Examples here include our integrated hydrogen chloride, silicon and acetic acid production systems.
We are always working on optimizing our integrated production system. We specifically implement actions to increase process efficiency along the entire value chain under our WACKER Operating System (WOS) program. We mainly focus here are on optimizing specific energy consumption, raw-material yields and our carbon footprint.
In the year under review, we implemented a new method as part of the creation of closed and efficient product cycles at the Nanjing site. This method separates any residual vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) from the resultant process wastewater and this is then recovered as a raw material in the next production step. This action reduces the use of chemicals, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, lowers our effluent burden and recycles our VAM raw material.
Closed material cycles – downstream value chain
As part of our product assessment, we analyze the impacts of our products over their entire life cycle. We identify starting points for increasing the circularity of our products.
To do so, we communicate closely with our customers and continuously analyze market trends. Our focus is on finding ways to enable product circularity and facilitate recycling at the end of the product life cycle. Together with our partners, we work on developing corresponding solutions.
We also endeavor to increase the circularity of our packaging. We work closely with suppliers and customers to this end to open up options for using circular packaging.
In the year under review, for example, we worked together with a partner to develop a recycling solution for metal barrels; as a result, these are no longer incinerated, but instead reused.
Waste prevention
Waste management is part of environmental protection at WACKER (see “General disclosures on environmental standards” section).
Every site ensures that it complies with legal provisions for safe disposal of waste and with WACKER’s environmental standards.
WACKER endeavors to avoid waste throughout the product’s life cycle. We prioritize prevention over recycling and recycling over disposal. When we record the volume of waste incurred groupwide, we break it down into four criteria: “for recycling” and “for disposal” and “hazardous” and “non-hazardous.”
We consider it our ongoing duty to continue to identify new options suited to mechanical recycling within and outside of our plants. We attach great importance to recycling, treating and eliminating waste in an environmentally friendly and legally compliant manner. To this end, we conduct regular audits to monitor the disposal companies with which we work together for recycling and for disposal.
