We have incorporated environmental performance as a critical component of operational excellence and carefully monitor environmental performance events that occur at our facilities. We define an environmental performance event as a reportable spill or release, a Notice of Violation, or a public complaint. We are very proud that the number of environmental performance events decreased by more than 50 percent between 2006 and 2008.

 

Environmental Capital Investments

Cabot invests significant capital in our facilities' process equipment and infrastructure to maintain regulatory compliance, increase our energy efficiency, and minimize our impact on the environment. Major environmental capital investments in 2008 included:

• modifications and repairs to the water supply system at the Barry, Wales, fumed silica manufacturing facility, allowing the use of recycled cooling water for vacuum pumps;
• upgrades to feedstock pipelines at our Pôrt Jérome, France, and Pampa, USA, carbon black manufacturing facilities, as well as our Tuscola, USA, fumed silica facility;
• redesign and improvements to the dust collection and vacuum systems in the bulk loading areas at the Sarnia, Canada, carbon black facility, reducing fugitive dust emissions;
• installation of particulate emissions monitors at six carbon black manufacturing facilities, providing early alerts to potential emissions issues and allowing for proactive corrective actions;
• installation of an ultraviolet disinfection system for sanitary wastewater at the Cartagena, Colombia, carbon black manufacturing facility; and
• installation of a site-wide integrated air monitoring system at the Cabot Superior MicroPowders research, development, and manufacturing facility in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

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Waste Generation (Hazardous and Non-hazardous)

Water Use and Wastewater Management

Greenhouse Gases