“Responsible Care” Program
One of the examples of the Company responsibility is voluntary adherence to the requirements of the international “Responsible Care” Program.
The "Responsible Care" Program is a global environmental initiative, for the chemical industry, realised by National Chemical Associations in 47 countries under the name “Responsible Care”. Its executers are mostly manufacturers and distributors of chemical products. The Program is a company public and voluntary declaration to implement actions concerning the environmental protection, safety of the manufacturing processes, employees’ health protection and continuous cooperation with the local community. Participation in the Program means, above all, taking over a conscious responsibility for the employees’ health and safety and the state of natural environment, without any constraint exercised by law regulations and legislation, as well as making all of the employees active.
The companies which decided on Responsible Care implementation are obliged to undertake, among others, the following action: the on-going process of improvement in all aspects of the environment, health and safety, compliance with the rigorous standards, regulations, guidelines and checklists, indicators of performance implementation against which improvements can be measured.
In Poland there are 36 chemical companies implementing the „Responsible Care” Program, among which there are as much as 5 from Kędzierzyn-Koźle. The Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry is directly in charge of the Program implementation.
Zakłady Azotowe Kędzierzyn S.A. have been involved in “Responsible Care” since May 1995. Thanks to this, we have the opportunity to exchange experience with other participants of the Program. United effort brings benefit to both the ecosystem in Poland and the chemical plants’ employees.
Results
Since the moment of joining the Program, ZAK S.A. has managed to considerably reduce the environmental impact, improve manufacturing processes safety and working conditions. Within this period of time, a number of tasks regarding the environmental protection and the improvement of working conditions have been realised. The most important are:
One of the examples of the Company responsibility is voluntary adherence to the requirements of the international “Responsible Care” Program.
The "Responsible Care" Program is a global environmental initiative, for the chemical industry, realised by National Chemical Associations in 47 countries under the name “Responsible Care”. Its executers are mostly manufacturers and distributors of chemical products. The Program is a company public and voluntary declaration to implement actions concerning the environmental protection, safety of the manufacturing processes, employees’ health protection and continuous cooperation with the local community. Participation in the Program means, above all, taking over a conscious responsibility for the employees’ health and safety and the state of natural environment, without any constraint exercised by law regulations and legislation, as well as making all of the employees active.
The companies which decided on Responsible Care implementation are obliged to undertake, among others, the following action: the on-going process of improvement in all aspects of the environment, health and safety, compliance with the rigorous standards, regulations, guidelines and checklists, indicators of performance implementation against which improvements can be measured.
In Poland there are 36 chemical companies implementing the „Responsible Care” Program, among which there are as much as 5 from Kędzierzyn-Koźle. The Polish Chamber of Chemical Industry is directly in charge of the Program implementation.
Zakłady Azotowe Kędzierzyn S.A. have been involved in “Responsible Care” since May 1995. Thanks to this, we have the opportunity to exchange experience with other participants of the Program. United effort brings benefit to both the ecosystem in Poland and the chemical plants’ employees.
Results
Since the moment of joining the Program, ZAK S.A. has managed to considerably reduce the environmental impact, improve manufacturing processes safety and working conditions. Within this period of time, a number of tasks regarding the environmental protection and the improvement of working conditions have been realised. The most important are:
- construction of a modern nitric acid plant, installation for mechanical granulation of fertilisers and a dolomite mill,
- modernisation of Central Mechanical-Biological Treatment Plant, for nitrogen compounds removal,
- modernisation of the carbamide installation and 5 electrostatic precipitators in the company boiler house,
- construction of protection equipment, reducing benzene emission as well as a number of shielding plates for protecting ground water environment,
- radical reduction of underground water intake volumes by creating rain water and absorption water return cycle for production of technical water,
- improving ammonia storage safety by construction of a pressureless storage tank,
- improving H&S conditions at a number of installations by, among others, construction of sound-proof cabins, modernisation of sprinkler installation, purchase of protection equipment etc.,
- construction of effluent sludge dewatering station.
Of course, these are only the most important tasks.
Since the beginning of the “Responsible Care” Program implementation, ZAK S.A. reduced its influence on natural environment in the following way:
Since the beginning of the “Responsible Care” Program implementation, ZAK S.A. reduced its influence on natural environment in the following way:
- emission of pollution to air by 50%,
- water intake by 32%,
- discharged effluent volume by 26%,
- organic compounds load discharged to the Odra river by 37% and nitrogen compounds by 89%,
- number of work related accidents by 58%.
ZAK S.A. is a Leader in Occupational Safety, awarded a Green, Silver and a successive Gold Card for Leader in Occupational Safety.
In 2006, we significantly reduced the number of work related accidents by 38% It is also worth mentioning that no grave or collective accident took place within this period.. The accident rate at ZAK S.A. remains lower than the average accident rate at other chemical companies within the “Responsible Care” Program.
Of course, this does not make us abandon our modernisation plans. Each year, tasks regarding the environmental and health protection are planned and implemented.
Effects of the tasks and projects undertaken
In 2006, in accordance with the declaration submitted to the “Responsible Care” Program, ZAK S.A. implemented the following tasks:
- In the field of the environmental protection:
1. Safeguarding the area where fresh oil is unloaded and waste oil is collected in the BU Fertilisers Compressor Department. The task consisted in construction of the shielding plates where fresh oils are unloaded and waste oils are collected. As a result of the performed tasks, the technical condition of the objects was improved and the ground water environment protected.
2. Modernisation of an electrostatic precipitator within one of our boiler houses. A thorough modernisation of the protection facility was carried out. As a result of the performed modernisation, dust emission was reduced by 100,579 kg/year and the installation was prepared for the future emission standards.
3. In 2006, a task consisting in safeguarding of the area where ammonia water is stored and unloaded for minor recipients in the BU Fertilisers Ammonia Department was partially performed. A shielding plate under the tanks was reconstructed and a new one was built in the loading area. The performed task will result in the improvement of the technical condition of the objects and the protection of the ground water environment. The task will be completed in 2007.
2. Modernisation of an electrostatic precipitator within one of our boiler houses. A thorough modernisation of the protection facility was carried out. As a result of the performed modernisation, dust emission was reduced by 100,579 kg/year and the installation was prepared for the future emission standards.
3. In 2006, a task consisting in safeguarding of the area where ammonia water is stored and unloaded for minor recipients in the BU Fertilisers Ammonia Department was partially performed. A shielding plate under the tanks was reconstructed and a new one was built in the loading area. The performed task will result in the improvement of the technical condition of the objects and the protection of the ground water environment. The task will be completed in 2007.
- In the field of the process and occupational safety:
1. Replacement of the exploited wagon broaching machine in the carbamide loading area at the BU Fertilisers Carbamide Department. Completion of this task will improve occupational safety.
