waste reduction

Oxy’s HES Principles and policies require a constant focus on waste reduction and resource conservation. Within Oxy’s wide range of operations, different approaches are used to achieve continuous improvement.

Pollution prevention and release reduction projects are included in the annual budget process. Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) data submitted by OxyChem to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are shown in the table and graph below. For 2005 (the most recent report year), total reportable releases and transfers to off-site facilities for destruction or disposal were 7.8 million pounds. This is approximately 50 percent lower than in 1998. The increase from 2004 was due to the acquisition of additional manufacturing capacity. Total releases are less than 0.2 pound per ton of production capacity, or approximately one-hundredth of one percent. The majority of TRI reportable chemicals were incinerated, treated, recycled or burned for energy recovery. The remainder was safely disposed of in permitted deep well injection facilities.

In 2005, OxyChem used the mercury cell chlor-alkali process at two of its U.S. manufacturing locations, one in Delaware City, Delaware, another in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. OxyChem permanently shut down the Delaware City facility in 2005 and in early 2006, announced plans to close its Muscle Shoals, Alabama mercury cell chlor-alkali operation in 2008.

Although its vinyl chloride emissions are well below permitted levels, OxyVinyls, LP voluntarily entered into an enforceable commitment (discussed further on page 18) in 2006 to reduce its combined vinyl chloride emissions by almost 50 percent from four manufacturing facilities. The company will undertake emission reduction projects at a cost of approximately $1.1 million to redesign stripper columns and reactor vessels, and install vacuum systems for railcar unloading.

OxyChem waste generation data include activity related to ongoing production operations at OxyChem plants and its subsidiary, OxyVinyls, LP chemical plants. In 2005, total waste generation increased due to the addition of manufacturing capacity. Hazardous waste generated in 2005 was equivalent to less than 0.3 percent of the amount of OxyChem production capacity and refl ects a 53-percent decline in waste generation since 1998. OxyChem’s well-established waste minimization program is a structured approach to refi ne and improve manufacturing processes, operating protocols and maintenance procedures. Waste minimization projects entail signifi cant engineering effort, extensive process modifi cations and capital expenditures. In 2005, more than 90 percent of OxyChem’s solid hazardous waste was incinerated, treated, recycled or burned to recover energy. Most of this material was processed at OxyChem’s on-site incineration facilities. The remainder was disposed of off-site at licensed commercial incinerators or landfi lls.

Additional information is available in our HES annual report.

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