Emissions

ECKART in Güntersthal conducted a feasibility study for energy-intensive milling of pigments to establish whether the use of wind power would reduce CO2 emissions. The study focused on three potential locations, none of which were in the immediate vicinity of the company’s premises. The project has been suspended pending further decisions because of the uncertain permit situation on the part of the authorities and unclear profitability data (depending on the wind yield at the site), in addition to relatively high investment costs.

ALTANA generates the following emissions:

  •  CO2 (from energy consumption)
  •  VOC (in production)
  •  Wastewater
  •  Dust
  •  Noise

ECKART in Güntersthal sees feasible reduction potential in the conversion from oil-fueled to natural gas heating, which would lower the resulting CO2 emissions by more than 20 percent, or 1,500 metric tons. In spite of the relatively long gas pipeline and the conversion of boilers, the upgrade makes economic sense and will be completed by 2013. The same switch is also planned for ELANTAS Zhuhai, but the timing depends on the installation
of the necessary pipelines by the potential natural gas utility.

650 new trees for climate protection

Except for simple avoidance, planting trees is one of the easiest measures to reduce CO2 emissions. ELANTAS employees in India planted 650 trees on the premises in Pimpri. 500 of these were needed for the new administrative building, since Indian law requires one tree for every ten square meters of new construction. Another 150 trees were planted voluntarily and together, the
trees bind about 6.5 tons of CO2 per year. However, the Indian employees went even further.

Employees of ELANTAS Beck India in Pimpri planted 650 new trees

They grow seedlings on the roof of the administrative building in Pune and distribute them to employees and others with the request of planting them.

ALTANA already installed a number of exhaust air cleaning systems in past years to reduce VOC emissions so that there is no further need for action at this time. The expansion of the waterbased product portfolio, especially at ACTEGA, is another effective measure against VOC (see page 22) along with the use of resource tanks. In closed systems, source materials have no contact
with the outside world from delivery to use, which means there are no emissions. BYK USA in Wallingford und ELANTAS Italia in Collecchio have invested in expansions of their tank farms.