Emissions

The principal emissions of ALTANA are solvents, dust, and noise. Solvents (volatile organic compounds or VOC) are at the focus of criticism because of the air pollution and summer smog (ozone formation) they cause. In addition, they contribute to climate change although their impact is relatively small compared to energy generation. VOC are broken down in the air by way of intermediates with varying longevity and climate impact. In the most favorable case, the climate effect corresponds to the combustion of the solvent. The incineration of a ton of solvent generates approximately three tons of CO2.

The ACTEGA Division uses some 25,000 m3 of water instead of solvents in its products. This prevents the release of 75,000 tons of CO2 equivalent into the environment. For comparison, the entire emissions from energy consumption are just 10,000 tons of CO2 at ACTEGA, and a total of approx. 140,000 tons in the entire ALTANA Group. Accordingly, replacing sol-vents with water represents a significant improvement of the eco-balance.

In most cases, ALTANA measures emissions in the required intervals and estimates the volume for the total reporting period instead of continuous measurement. For the year 2010, all ALTANA sites estimate a joint VOC emission volume of below 300 tons. Dust emissions, primarily from the pigment production at ECKART, are calculated at below 40 tons. In the past years, new exhaust air filtering systems were installed to reduce VOC at ELANTAS PDG, ELANTAS Deatech in Ascoli, and in the ELANTAS Deatech plant that became operational in Quattordio in 2010.

Compared to the VOC emissions that we help our customers save by using water as a replacement for organic solvents, our own VOC emissions of 300 tons a year can be considered reasonable. For example, ACTEGA Rhenacoat has increased the share of water-based coatings from one percent (2008) to approximately 10 percent (2010) with new product development and hopes to increase this share to 15 percent in 2011.

ELANTAS Deatech in Quattordio has invested some € 400,000 in a new VOC incineration system to reduce its emissions. It incinerates up to 10,000 m• of solvent-contaminated air at temperatures of 750 to 780 ° C. Two heat exchangers help utilize 60 percent of the resulting thermal energy for other production processes. A flame-ionization detector continuously monitors the organic compound content of the exhaust air.

ALTANA complies with statutory noise limits at all of its sites. Noise-reducing measures were taken in the laboratory exhaust system at ELANTAS Deatech (cost: € 15,000). This measure reduced the noise level by 3.5 decibels in the daytime and by 4.5 decibels at night.

Most dust emissions are generated in the pigment production of ECKART. Filters have been installed at these sites to reduce dust and emissions are consistently below the statutory limits. Further reductions are currently not possible for technical reasons due to the hazard of dust explosions.