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Enterprise-Wide Engagement Unearths Sweeping Solutions for Reining in SO2 Emissions

The team at Vestolit — part of polymers, materials and infrastructure leader Orbia — worked closely with the corporate sustainability team to find modifications to plant operations that promise significant reductions in the entire enterprise’s sulphur dioxide emissions.

Sponsored Content | This article is sponsored by Vinyl Sustainability Council | By Susan Wade | Published 4 years ago | About a 2 minute read

Image: Vitaly Vlasov/Pexels

Vestolit, a company that belongs to the Polymer Solutions Group — one of the five distinct business groups within polymers, materials, and infrastructure leader Orbia (formerly Mexichem) — drives its sustainability initiatives in close collaboration with the corporate sustainability team. At Orbia, sustainability is an integral part of a broader commitment to advance life around the world.

One of the company’s sustainability goals is to reduce its sulphur oxide (SOX) emissions by 60 percent by 2025. Right alongside corporate efforts, various plants and facilities have also been working to better understand emissions-reduction opportunities and potential cost savings. For example, the second year into its commitments, the Orbia facilities team at its Henry, IL resin manufacturing facility identified an opportunity to significantly reduce and ultimately eliminate a source of SO2 emissions related to its boiler operations. By modifying plant operations, the team was able to reduce annual SO2 emissions by 30 percent and in turn reduce Orbia’s overall emissions by 5 percent. We also expect the benefit to continue year over year.

To further reduce this footprint, the team is now exploring investment options. Its objective: to completely eliminate all SO2 emissions associated with the Henry facility by 2025. Orbia’s recently launched sustainability-linked bonds in the international capital markets will help by funding additional investments in emissions reductions. To demonstrate accountability, Orbia also adopted and published its sustainability-linked bond framework alongside the bonds’ issuance, validated by ESG rating agency ISS.

“We know together, we can push the boundaries for a better tomorrow,” Jim Gray, General Manager of Vestolit’s Henry, IL plant. “Our commitment to SO2 emissions reductions and overall becoming more future-fit in our work is a key part of how we are driving Vestolit — and Orbia — forward.”

Read more about Vestolit’s sustainability strategy here.

Susan Wade

VP Marketing & Communications at Vinyl Institute
Vinyl Sustainability Council

Susan is responsible for development, managing and driving all the Vinyl Institute's and Vinyl Sustainability Council's marketing and communications efforts on a national level.

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