Air and soil
We want to further reduce emissions to air from our production, prevent waste and protect the soil. We have set ourselves standards for doing so in global directives. If no recovery options are available for waste, we dispose of it in a proper and environmentally responsible manner.
Strategy
- Regular monitoring of emissions to air
- Professional disposal of hazardous waste
- Systematic management of contaminated sites
Regular monitoring of our emissions to air is a part of environmental management at BASF. Aside from greenhouse gases, we also measure emissions of other pollutants into the atmosphere. Our reporting does not take into account air pollutant emissions from oil and gas operations due to their substantial fluctuation during exploration phases.
Our Raw Material Verbund helps us prevent and reduce waste. We regularly carry out audits to inspect external waste disposal companies, ensuring that our hazardous waste in particular is properly disposed of. In this way, we also contribute to preventive soil protection and keep today’s waste from becoming tomorrow’s contamination.
When treatment is required for soil and groundwater contamination at active and former BASF sites, proper remediation measures are reviewed based on prevailing legal and current technical standards, and undertaken as necessary.
Emissions to air
- Further reduction of emissions
Absolute emissions of air pollutants from our chemical plants amounted to 26,735 metric tons in 2016. Emissions of ozone-depleting substances as defined by the Montreal Protocol totaled 25 metric tons in 2016 (2015: 23 metric tons). Emissions of heavy metals in 2016 amounted to 3 metric tons (2015: 4 metric tons).
Our product portfolio contains a variety of catalysts used in the automotive sector and in industry to reduce the emission of air pollutants.
Emissions to air (metric tons) |
|||
|
|
2016 |
2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
CO (carbon monoxide) |
|
3,585 |
3,813 |
NOx (total nitrogen oxides) |
|
11,143 |
11,058 |
NMVOC (nonmethane volatile organic compounds) |
|
4,824 |
5,140 |
SOx (total sulfur oxides) |
|
1,872 |
3,028 |
Dust |
|
3,082 |
3,330 |
NH3 (ammonia) and other inorganic substances |
|
2,229 |
2,216 |
Total |
|
26,735 |
28,585 |
Waste management
- Total waste volume slightly above prior-year level
Waste prevention is our topmost goal. If waste is unavoidable, we review the options for recycling or energy recovery, using BASF’s existing Verbund structures for efficient waste management. Total waste volume amounted to 2.10 million metric tons in 2016 (+3.7%).
Waste management in the BASF Group (million metric tons) |
|||||||
|
|
2016 |
2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|||||||
Total waste generation1 |
|
2.10 |
2.02 |
||||
Thereof from oil and gas exploration |
|
0.06 |
0.05 |
||||
Waste recovered |
|
0.77 |
0.68 |
||||
Recycled |
|
0.26 |
0.27 |
||||
Thermally recovered |
|
0.51 |
0.41 |
||||
Waste disposed of |
|
1.33 |
1.34 |
||||
In underground landfills |
|
0.14 |
0.14 |
||||
In surface landfills |
|
0.47 |
0.48 |
||||
Through incineration |
|
0.72 |
0.72 |
||||
Classification of waste for disposal2 |
|
|
|
||||
Nonhazardous waste |
|
0.46 |
0.44 |
||||
Hazardous waste |
|
0.87 |
0.90 |
||||
Transported hazardous waste |
|
0.23 |
0.27 |
||||
Management of contaminated sites
- Systematic management of contaminated sites ensured
We develop remediation solutions that combine nature conservation, climate protection concerns, costs, and social responsibility. This means making customized decisions on a case-by-case basis, founded on the legal framework and current technological possibilities. We set out global standards for our approach to managing contaminated sites. A worldwide network of experts ensures their proper implementation.
We have been documenting relevant sites in a contaminated site database since 2013. Ongoing remediation work around the world continued on schedule and planning was concluded on future landfill remediation projects.