SearchMaterial Loss
We view any type of material loss as a form of waste – and an opportunity to improve our processes.
To improve our business performance and environmental impact, we innovate to recover and use process materials that would otherwise become waste, creating a more circular economy.
This year, SABIC achieved 9.82 percent decrease in material loss intensity over 2017, as measured in metric tons (t) per metric ton of product sales. Our material loss intensity has improved 41.54 percent from our 2010 baseline.
We achieved these results through a number of projects at our facilities around the world. Our SAFCO affiliate cut down material losses by 336,000 tons due to stable operations and efforts to capture and reuse CO2.
At our manufacturing affiliate Hadeed, we are working with a third party to recover zinc oxide from the waste stream of our electric-arc furnaces, avoiding more than 36,000 tons of waste per year. Our Petrokemya PVC team upgraded stripper columns which improved production while eliminating 448 tons of scrap. In Teesside, UK, we reduced the flaring of hydrogen to lower our material loss by 12,000 tons and at Mt. Vernon, Indiana, we shifted 4,000 tons per year of ULTEMTM waste from landfill into useful product.
Compared to 2017, overall flare losses remained constant. The start-up of our new affiliate SAMAC resulted in 100,000 tons of flaring emissions, impacting material loss and flare emission reduction. Our affiliates Hadeed, Petrokemya, and Ibn Zahr showed increased flaring, while Saudi Kayan, Sharq, United, and Yansab reduced flare losses due to stable production.