 |
Air Emissions
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gases (GHG) are components of the atmosphere that trap heat. Some of them occur naturally - including water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. However, people and industries add significantly to those natural levels, and produce other, non-natural GHG. These gases are believed to contribute to global warming, which has the potential to change weather and ecosystems.
Borax is committed to reducing its GHG emissions through both its practices and its products. While our use of diesel, natural gas and electricity creates emissions, our products' use in hydrogen fuel cells, insulation fiberglass, and ceramic tiles actually reduces emissions.
We began tracking and reporting GHG emissions in 1990. In 2003, we established a Climate Change Policy and Action Plan and set a target to reduce our GHG emissions by three percent between 2003 and 2008. We also joined forces with other companies and environmental groups - including the Pew Climate Center, the World Resources Institute, and the California Climate Action Registry - to augment our efforts.
Our GHG emissions are presented in the first chart below. Please note:
- On-site numbers are higher than total numbers because they include emissions from our two cogeneration plants, which convert clean-burning natural gas to electricity and steam. These plants produce 100 megawatts of electricity, 85 of which we sell to the local utility.
- Total numbers include emissions from our operations, as well as emissions associated with transporting raw materials to Borax, and refined borates to our customers in nearly 100 countries.
- 2003 numbers increased slightly. Although we reduced total use of fuel by five percent in 2003, our GHG emissions increased slightly for two reasons. The first reason had to do with routine maintenance of one of our cogeneration plants. With the plant out of commission for several days, we used older, less efficient steam boilers to generate the energy needed to keep our operations running. As a result, we used more natural gas - and created more GHG emissions - for a short time. Our second reason had to do with how we calculate GHG emissions. In 2003, we reported emissions in keeping with WRI/WBCSD Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the highest reporting standard. This resulted in a smaller credit than before for emissions associated with electiricity we sell to the grid.
Boric Oxide, or B2O3, is the basic unit of volume measure for our industry. The next chart shows our GHG emissions per ton of B2O3. Higher rates in 2000 are due to increased mining after a pit wall failure in the late 1990s; the increase in 2003 is explained above.
Ozone Depleting Substances
Borates are mineral salts. To refine them, we mix crushed ore with hot water
and dissolved borates, separate out the mud and rocks, then cool the remaining
liquid until it forms crystals. The crystallizing process requires more than
800 refrigeration units. These units require annual replacement of the following
ozone-depleting substances:
- 300 pounds of R-22
- 120 pounds of R-12
- 90 pounds of MP39
Sulfur Oxide Emissions
Carbon-based fuels like diesel contain sulfur, which form sulfur oxide or SOx emissions when combusted. SOx emissions lower air quality and are precursors to acid rain. Borax emits SOx largely as a result of driving haul trucks. The chart below shows our global SOx emissions. A slight rise in 2003 is due to improved data collection and reporting practices at some sites.
Nitrogen Oxide Emissions
Nitrogen Oxides or NOx emissions are created during fossil fuel combustion.
The primary environmental effects of NOx include contribution to smog, acid rain
and the over-nutrification (pollution) of lakes. Borax's global NOx emissions
are shown below. Increased mining to remediate our pit wall failure in 2000 and
2001 caused increased NOx emissions. More recently, we have been able to reduce
NOx by switching to more efficient haul trucks and improving maintenance practices.
Particulate Matter Emissions
Particulate matter, or PM, is a term used for particles found in the air, including
dust, dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. Particles can be suspended in the
air for long periods of time, contributing to poor air quality, haze and other
environmental issues. Borax generates particulate matter by driving haul trucks
on the unpaved roadways in our mines and by burning fossil fuels to manufacture
and transport products. We have a long record of meeting or exceeding state and
federal air quality standards, but some neighbors closest to our Mojave Desert
mine expressed concern about their exposure to dust.
In response, Borax invested more than $500,000 in an air monitoring program, placing monitors in the open desert and in communities closest to our operations. Data showed that our operations contribute less than one half of one percent of the dust our neighbors are exposed to, and independent analysis confirmed that there is no health risk associated with that exposure. We also agreed to water down nearby haul roads twice as often as required to keep dust at a minimum. Finally our maintenance program is designed to keep haul trucks operating as efficiently as possible to reduce particulate matter emissions.
The graph below presents particulate matter emissions for all sites from 1999-2003.
While there was a small increase in 2003, emissions for 2004 are expected to
decrease due to increased road watering and efforts to reduce the amount of
fuel consumed in our mines.
|
