Air Emissions
Historically, Baxter’s manufacturing operations have widely used several substances that have the potential to generate toxic air emissions, including solvents for bonding, chemicals such as ethylene oxide for sterilization of medical devices, and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-based solvents as degreasers. To address these emissions, Baxter launched its toxic air emissions reduction program in 1988 and set a goal to reduce CFC and toxic air emissions 80 percent per unit of production value from 1988 to 1996.
After reaching this target, Baxter set another goal to further reduce CFC and toxic air emissions 80 percent per unit of production value from 1996 levels, by 2005. Baxter met this goal in 2001. Baxter continues to monitor its air emissions and support facility-led initiatives in this area, but due to its progress will focus its programs and goals on other environmental issues in the coming years.
Baxter's toxic air emissions dropped to 21 metric tons in 2008, 10 metric tons less than in 2007, a 32-percent decrease on an absolute basis and a 44-percent reduction indexed to revenue. This decrease is due primarily to the installation of new air pollution control equipment for controlling emissions associated with plastic extrusion at a facility in Europe in late 2007. The facility installed this equipment after a corporate audit identified the need for better air emissions management at the facility.
Baxter's nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur oxide (SOx) emissions, related to onsite fuel usage, increased by 7 metric tons or less than 1 percent in absolute terms from 2005 to 2008 and decreased 20 percent indexed to revenue since 2005. Baxter has maintained NOx and SOx emissions through energy conservation efforts companywide along with a transition from heavy fuel oils to lighter diesel fuels at some locations.
Approximately 48 percent of Baxter’s NOx emissions occur within North America. This is due to relatively high use of natural gas at most of the company’s North American facilities.
Nearly 93 percent of Baxter’s SOx emissions are from facilities located outside North America, due to significant use of furnace fuel oils at these locations. When necessary, facilities use low-sulfur fuel to meet regulatory requirements that limit SOx emissions.
