Cabot stays on track with sustainability targets

Boston, Massachusetts – Cabot Corp has reported progress with the delivery of its sustainability targets across its carbon black production operations.

This, it said, includes achieving a 2025 nitrogen oxides (NOX) emissions target by reducing NOX-intensity by 50% from 4.3 tonnes per kilotonne (t/kt) of production in 2020 to 3.45t/kt in 2022.

Furthermore, Cabot cut sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions-intensity from 18.00t/tk in 2020 to 16.24t/kt in 2022, fulfilling 56% of its 2025 target, Cabot stated in its 2022 sustainability report. 

In its 26 June review, Cabot linked the “significant” achievement to the introduction air pollution control and energy-recovery systems at its Franklin, Louisiana factory in 2021.

The move, it said, resulted in emissions reductions of 140 tonnes of NOX and 813 tonnes of SO2 compared to 2021.

The carbon black producer expects a similar project currently underway at its plant in Ville Platte, Louisiana to also “substantially decrease” NOX and SO2 emissions in 2024.

Cabot said it had broadened the scope of the Ville Platte project to include an energy-recovery system, while exploring further opportunities to mitigate emissions. 

In terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Cabot said it increased production of primary products by 4%, decreased absolute GHG emissions by 342,370 tonnes and cut GHG intensity by 11% in 2022, compared to 2005.

Additionally, the company’s investment in energy-recovery enabled customers to cut 497 kilotonnes of GHG emissions.

Overall, this represents the achievement of 55% of Cabot’s goal to reduce GHG intensity.

Another key milestone, Cabot said, was achieving a 2025 goal of exporting energy, with its facilities now “energy self-sufficient and net exporters to nearby businesses and communities.”

The Boston-based company also reduced waste by 57% from the 2019 baseline, as it cut the production of off-quality products.