EHS Data 2005 - 2009

• Water consumption
  

   

  Fluctuations of +/- five to ten percent in water consumption are normal and depend mainly on variations in energy usage and weather conditions. A general decrease in consumption over the last five years is mainly related to the step-wise conversion to the re-circulating cooling system at our production plant in Fornovo, Italy.

• Energy consumption
  

    

  In 2009, the absolute figures for energy consumption show a slight increase compared to the previous year. This rise was effected by new buildings, that went on line at our US sites.

  The energy consumption in relation to production quantities was declining until 2007/2008 (index curve) due to higher capacity utilisation. In 2009, consumption in relation to production went up, since production quantities went down compared to 2008.

  This effect reflects that energy consumption is considered to be not as closely linked to production quantities as other figures.

• Wastewater – Chemical Oxigen Demand (COD)
  

   

  The highest COD load in the wastewater can be found at our chemical production plants. Due to investments in new wastewater treatment technologies at different sites, we enhanced the efficiency of our wastewater treatment plants from 87% removal in 2000 to 96% overall COD removal in 2009. The inauguration of the expansion of the wastewater treatment plant at our production site in Ingelheim improves efficiency and flexibility to maintain the good COD-degradation rates even for higher production. Since 2008, COD in the wastewater inflow of the sewage treatment plant at our Ingelheim site has not been measured anymore. They are calculated assuming a 98% degradation rate.

• Disposed Waste
  

   

  The new approach to disposal of slag from the wood-fired power station in Ingelheim resulted in an increase in hazardous waste and dropping in the recycling rate from 2006 to 2007. Whereas the slag was reused in the past for rock-filling in salt domes, it is now disposed of as special waste. The slag accounts for almost a quarter of the special waste disposed of and around half of the special waste deposited. The decrease of hazardous waste in 2009 reflects, among other things, a slight short time drop in the burning of CO2-neutral waste wood at the Ingelheim power plant which was compensated by the burning of fossil fuels.

• Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Oxides Emissions (NOx)
  

   

  The highest portion of our overall SO2/NOx emissions is caused by the emissions of the power plant in Ingelheim. By the conversion of this power plant at the end of 2004 to the use of waste wood, the SO2-emissions were considerably reduced from 2004 to 2005. In 2009, SO2 emissions slightly went up due to a slight short time drop in the burning of CO2-neutral waste wood at the Ingelheim power plant which was compensated by the burning of fossil fuels.

• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emissions
  

   

  The chart shows CO ₂ emissions from on-site-fossil-fuel combustion (direct emissions) as well as emissions from generation of external energy (indirect emissions). In 2009 the absolute figures for CO ₂ emissions show a slight increase compared to the previous year. This increase reflects a slight short time drop in the burning of CO ₂-neutral waste wood at the Ingelheim power plant which was compensated by the burning of fossil fuels. In 2009 consumption respective emissions in relation to production - represented in the index curve - went up, since production quantities went down compared to 2008. This effect can be explained due to the fact that CO ₂ emissions, like energy consumption, is considered to be not as closely linked to production quantities as other figures.

  In 2009, about 71,000 tonnes CO ₂ were emitted due to the use of about 11,000 company cars travelling a total of about 340 million kilometres on company business (average performance baseline: 0.21 kg CO ₂ per driven kilometre).

• Volatile Organic Compounds Emissions
  

   

  The slight overall increase in VOC emissions in 2006 results from new processes and changed product portfolios at our chemical production plants as well as from increased recycling of solvents. The opening of the new central waste air incineration facility at our production plant in Malgrat, Spain, resulted in a significant overall decrease since 2007.

• Work accidents
  

   

  For the last five years our global accident frequency rate has settled down at a level of about 3.1 accidents per million hours worked. In order to decrease the number of work related accidents, large-scale initiatives to further improve the safety culture have been launched at several sites and clear objectives were agreed for prevention of accidents. Impressive reductions in accident figures could be observed at our production plant in Itapecerica, Brasil. No accidents happened in 2009 due to visible management commitment and observations on the safety behaviour of employees together with awareness campaigns.