Cutting back on our emissions

DSM’s sustainability strategy has proven its success…we actually achieved most of our 2010 emissions targets in 2009.

At DSM, cutting back on emissions is an ongoing process. We have undertaken a number of major steps:

• We have reduced greenhouse gas emissions in the overall value chain, thanks to innovative solutions (including bio-based solutions);
• We have reduced our own carbon footprint – and our greenhouse gas reduction target for 2020 is 25%;
• We have used a sector-wide approach to greenhouse gas reduction. Together with other industry players and stakeholders, we actively advocate a greenhouse gas emissions trading system based on benchmarking.

In terms of specific results, most of our 2010 emission targets have already been met:

• Our greenhouse gas emissions decreased by 0.7 million tons of CO₂ equivalents between 2008 and 2009;
• We achieved our 40% N₂O reduction target for 2010, and our total greenhouse gas reduction was 37% compared to 2005.
• We further reduced our emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds by 1,800 tons compared to 2008. The main structural improvements occurred at several DSM Anti-Infectives sites as a result of a changeover to enzymatic processes.

Our energy efficiency and NO_x emission targets are also well on track. We’re working hard on realizing two other targets – VOC and SO₂ emissions – and our efforts are focused on completing several projects in time to achieve this goal.

DSM’s environmental targets are based on the principle that all DSM sites should at least meet EU or US standards. New plants and major plant modifications should do so from the outset. Existing plants should meet it within five years. We achieved eight out of our nine environmental targets for 2010 and exceeded some of them. We realized clear improvements by 65% for SO₂ emissions, although we did not achieve the ambitious target of 75% reduction. Further reduction of SO₂ emissions is one of the new environmental targets for 2015.

Infographics

• Greenhouse-gas emissions (JPG, 67.44KB)
• SO₂ emissions (JPG, 54.59KB)
• NO_x emissions (JPG, 53.84KB)
• VOC emissions (JPG, 58.14KB)

Links & Downloads

• Planet in 2011 - Integrated Annual Report 2011

 

Page updated on 1 Mar 2012