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50 IN 5 PLEDGE
In 1999, Flint Hills Resources, LP (FHR) announced a commitment to reduce refinery emissions by 50 percent in 5
years. The goal was to reduce emissions from 18,000 tons to 9,000 tons.
The commitment called for a 50 percent
reduction of total mass of emissions to air,
water and waste from refinery operations to
be achieved in calendar year 2004. Emissions
data from 1997 was used as the baseline,
which was the most recent data available at
the time of the announcement. There was no
commitment to reduce any specific pollutant
or media. The emission reduction initiative
excludes waste generated by remediation of
historical spills that Flint Hills is
currently cleaning up and properly managing.
Current leaks and spills from daily
operations are included in this measure. The
emission reduction commitment also excludes
air emissions from sources that were
discovered after the ERI commitment.
Those sources include carbon monoxide (CO)
emissions from the sulfur recovery plant and
particulate matter (PM) from transportation
of coke handling trucks. Air emissions
of PM-10 were also excluded since it is a
subset of PM (TSP). For more details listing the emissions included in, and excluded from, FHR's Emission Reduction Initiative, click here.
RESULT
Flint Hills reached its goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent. Emissions were reduced from 18,000 tons
to approximately 8,000.
Air Emissions
Air emissions were reduced by over 8,000 tons. Some specific air emission reductions include:
- Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions were reduced by 3,600 tons per year.
- Volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions were reduced by over 2,600 tons per year.
- Nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions were reduced by 1,700 tons per year.
Waste Emissions
The amount of waste disposed in landfills was reduced by 2,100 tons per year.
Water Emissions
Emissions to water were reduced by 200 tons.
Examples of Emission Reduction Projects
Examples of projects or activities completed to achieve the air, water and waste reductions include:
- Discontinuation of the burning of fuel oil at the refinery
- Shutdown of the sulfuric acid plant
- Installation of low NOx burners
- Significant reductions in unplanned and planned flaring events
- Fluidized catalytic cracking unit emission controls
- Wastewater upgrades
- Beneficial re-use and elimination of refinery solid waste streams
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