Within the cadre of Taminco’s Water for People initiative, Taminco employees from Yixing and Fengxian Sites succeeded in 2010 to complete a number of projects to help the environment.

The ongoing goal is two-fold: 1) to connect Taminco people with the local community and 2) to promote a low-carbon lifestyle whereby: waste is minimized; energy is produced using ‘greener’ methods; resources are used more efficiently; local needs are increasingly served by local production and finally, industry, commerce and individuals are all more aware of, and all comply with, environmental and social responsibility initiatives.

In 2008 about 9800 tons of waste was produced at the Ghent site and disposed of externally (mostly by incineration). Although the disposable plastic water and coffee cups constitute just a small part of this sizeable mountain of waste, the decision was taken to replaced all cups by a 'sustainable' T-CARE glass and mug.

The Ghent plant CHP - project : an ongoing focus on sustainable production.

After a first investment in our Ghent methylamine production unit during Spring 2008, with the goal of reducing energy consumption at the site, Taminco now started construction of a CHP plant. The cogeneration unit, based on gasturbine technology, will allow to produce the necessary electricity and steam for the site, while consuming 15 % less primary energy compared to separate heat and power production. As a result greenhouse gas emissions will also be reduced, by 7500 tons per year for CO₂ and 100 tons per year for SO₂. To maintain the current high level of availability a back up boiler for steam production will be forseen, and the unit will be connected to the public grid for import and export of the balance of electricity. The unit is scheduled to go in operation in April 2009.

Friday 13 February 2008:

Just like last year, all our Ghent employees put on a warm sweater and turned the heating off or down on this symbolic day - a clear statement that we also want to contribute to energy saving and reducing CO₂ emission.