Calculating the carbon footprint of a chemical plant: A case study of AkzoNobel

Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is one of the key requirements for sustainable production and consumption, but while the Canadian chemical industry has been very successful in reducing emissions to water and air, and while non-CO₂ greenhouse gas emissions have been minimised as well, reduction of CO₂ emissions has been less successful. The industry itself forecasts that further reduction of CO₂ emissions will be minimal. On the other hand concerns about global warming are increasing, while at the same time the chemical industry increases its commitment to sustainability. Determining the carbon footprint of a chemical plant and of its products will help to identify more emissions reduction possibilities and is a necessary step for the further reduction of the chemical industry's environmental impact. Carbon footprint determination is a corporate goal for AkzoNobel, an international coatings and specialty chemicals company, but the carbon footprint is not yet established for many products, and the information available from the chemical industry is scarce. This paper presents a case study of AkzoNobel's Saskatoon Plant and its attempt to calculate and analyse the carbon footprint of the plant and its main products which are used in the potash industry.