In this section
			Business Case 2005 Goals Update   Responsibility and Accountability   Prevent Environment, Health & Safety Incidents   Increase Resource Productivity Global Challenges Government Reportables Recognition

Our objectives…

• To enhance resource productivity to reduce risk, minimize Dow’s impact on the environment and health, and increase global competitiveness through greater efficiency
• To prevent pollution in our processes
• To transfer and use the best available technology throughout the Dow world to build the most environmentally sound and safe facilities

Goals for Emissions, Waste, and Energy
Our objective is to reduce air and water emissions for our global operations by reducing:

• Priority compounds by 75 percent
• Dioxin emissions by 90 percent
• Chemical emissions by 50 percent
• Waste and wastewater generated per pound of production by 50 percent
• Energy use per pound of production by 20 percent

Emissions of Priority Compounds – Goal: 75% Reduction

We have reduced our emissions of priority compounds by 81 percent since 1994. Even though we have already achieved our goal, we are committed to continue our efforts to meet the challenge of maintaining our emission reductions while increasing production. Priority compounds include persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) compounds, known human carcinogens, selected ozone depleting substances, and high volume toxic compounds. PBTs: Hexachlorobenzene, mercury compounds Known Carcinogens: Benzene, Vinyl Chloride, Nickel Compounds, Chromium Compounds, Arsenic Compounds, Asbestos Selected Ozone Depletors: Carbon tetrachloride, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, CFC-114, CFC-115, CFC-123, CFC-500, CFC-502, CFC-1301, H2402 High Volume Toxics: Propylene Oxide, 1,2 Dichloropropane, 1,2 Dichlorethane (EDC), 1,3 Butadiene, Chloroform, Epichlorohydrin, Ethylene Oxide, Formaldehyde, Acrylonitrile.

Dioxin Emissions to Air and Water – Goal: 90% Reduction

Note: In 1996 and 1997, no data are shown in the above chart. This is due to the fact that Dow used monitoring data generated from 1995 through 1997 to document and establish its 1995 air and water emissions baseline. In 2003, Dow made significant progress on our dioxin reduction goal with total dioxin air and water emissions at less than eight grams globally. We are well on our way to achieving our objective, with over 80 percent of our targeted goal accomplished.

Chemical Emissions – Goal: 50% Reduction

We are continuing to exceed our goal for reducing our chemical emissions and have achieved an overall reduction of 48 percent since 1994. We have achieved these reductions while increasing production by 32 percent during the same time period. This means that we not only reduced our existing emissions, but have implemented technology that allowed production growth without increasing emissions.

Global Production

Dow’s global production increased 4.4 percent during 2003 for an overall growth of 32 percent since 1994. Our historic production data takes into account any divestitures, mergers, and acquisitions and may change to reflect those activities. Our energy use, waste, and wastewater goals are calculated as a percentage of global production.

Waste – Goal: 50% Reduction per Pound of Production

Wastes are materials that receive treatment. Our current focus is to find by-product synergies that allow waste to be used or recycled as useful products or raw materials. In addition, our Company-sponsored Waste Reduction Always Pays (WRAP) program contributed to over 500 million pounds in waste reduction since it was started. We are slightly above our target for this particular goal, but we are continuing to make good progress in reducing waste at the source or finding ways to recycle or reuse it.

Wastewater – Goal: 50% Reduction per Pound of Production

Wastewater is aqueous streams that receive treatment before discharge. Most of our process wastewater is treated in our facilities with only seven percent treated off-site. Our primary objective is to eliminate wastewater at the source, but we have also focused on activities to recycle wastewater when feasible. We are currently above our goal line for wastewater reductions, but are committed to continue our source reduction and recycle efforts to reduce fresh water consumption. These activities also support our commitment to work jointly with the public to share and better utilize our water resources.

Energy Use – Goal: 20% Reduction per Pound of Production

Our energy focus is on energy intensity – reducing the amount of energy needed to produce a pound of product by two percent per year from 1995-2005. This is in addition to a 20 percent improvement from 1990-1994. There was an improvement in energy intensity of approximately 2.9 percent in 2003 compared to 2002. Improved operating rates and the contribution of over 200 Six Sigma energy efficiency projects in 2003 were major factors in the improvement. Overall energy intensity has improved 17 percent since 1994.

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