Our Performance

 

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Both R&D and production processes use organic solvents to under take chemical reactions. These materials are often collectively known as Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs. We currently use around 3,000 tonnes of organic solvent each year.

Environmental Perspective

Control of VOCs is important because they have the potential to be lost relatively easily to the atmosphere and have a variety of complex environmental impacts depending on the specific material. These include lowering air quality by the formation of low level ozone (resulting in smog), contribution to global warming and destruction of the ozone layer.

Our Green Chemistry Programme is helping to identify opportunities for the reduction of the total volume and use of solvents with reduced environmental impact. Our current focus has been the use of Dichloromethane. In 2008 we reduced our use of this solvent in our laboratories by 23%, resulting in nearly a 70% reduction since 2005. We aim to make a further 20% reduction during 2009.

Management

Management of VOCs is primarily focused on solvent recovery and release prevention. In 2008, we directly recovered or recycled around 22% of our process solvents. In addition, we recovered energy from around 60% on site and sent a further 6% for use as an industrial support fuel used by the Cement industry.

 

Performance

The potential for the release of VOCs is driven by the amount and type of solvents used and especially within our manufacturing operations, where the largest quantities are used. Through the use of solvent recovery technologies we aim to minimise the amount of VOCs lost from our facilities.

Releases of Volatile Organic Compounds (tonnes)

 

In November 2007 we commissioned additional solvent abatement technology, known as a Thermal Oxidiser. As can be seen from the above graph, this £15 million investment has reduced solvent releases to air. This has ensured compliance with the Solvent Emissions Directive.