Dow’s aggressive and voluntary set of Environment, Health & Safety Goals for 2005 included a target to reduce our dioxin emissions to air and water by 90 percent by the year 2005 using 1995 as a baseline. Emissions to air and water were considered the highest priority as these are more likely to represent a potential exposure risk compared to dioxins in solid wastes sent to secure landfills. The initial focus of the program was to determine the sources of dioxins, and establish the 1995 baseline. This involved a sampling and analytical program at sites around the world for the major emission points, which were primarily incinerator stacks and surface water outfalls.
All major Dow sites that have potential for dioxin releases to air and water were considered when the baseline was established. Wholly-owned subsidiaries and 51-percent joint ventures are included. Joint ventures in which our stake is less than 51 percent are not included. The following manufacturing sites were established as contributing to at least 98 percent of Dow’s global emissions to air and water and are included in the goal.
- Aratu, Brazil
- Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada
- Freeport, Texas, USA
- Midland, Michigan, USA
- Plaquemine, Louisiana, USA
- Pittsburg, California, USA
- Stade, Germany
At each site, a protocol was established to sample for air and water emissions at some frequency in order to track progress in achieving the goal. Those locations with the highest emissions were sampled more frequently and most of the effort was directed to reducing their emissions. In some cases, such as for sites in Canada and Germany, regulations require sampling of incinerator stack emissions on an annual basis. At other locations internal sampling was carried out by Dow’s own trained stack sampling team and results are analyzed in Dow’s laboratories. All of these data are then used in the emissions estimates. Similarly for water, routine samples were also taken at the site outfalls and used to estimate the emissions to water.
With such a large program, Dow has made efforts to improve, optimize and simplify the sampling and analytical methods and the data were deemed highly reliable and suitable for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) dioxin source inventory.
Progress Toward the Reduction Goal
Significant reductions in Dow’s emissions to air and water have been made since this program began. Since 1995, Dow has reduced its releases of dioxins by more than 80% and is continuing its efforts. All data are reported using the International Toxic Equivalency Factors (I-TEFs). For information on the company's progress to date, see Dioxin Emissions to Air and Water. To see detailed progress for Dow sites, please see Dow Data.
