Oxy’s HES Principles call for a continued effort to reduce waste and conserve resources. Our dedication to waste reduction also yields benefits for customers in terms of product packaging. All of Oxy’s oil and gas products and most of its major chemical products are shipped exclusively in bulk — via pipeline, tanker vessel, railcar or tank truck. Less than 1 percent of Oxy’s 2008 production was shipped in a form that required individual containers or other types of packaging that potentially could become waste.
OxyChem waste generation data reflect both ongoing production operations and environmental remediation at operating plants. OxyChem has achieved significant reductions in the amount of waste generated by implementing the ACC’s Pollution Prevention Code, which is part of the ACC Responsible Care® program.
OxyChem’s waste generation has increased since 2004. This increase is a result of OxyChem’s acquisition of two chemical plants in 2005, permitted off-site disposal during the refurbishing of a recycling unit at another plant in 2006 and 2007, and maintenance of a storm water system. Nevertheless, since 2000, OxyChem has achieved a 37-percent decrease in total waste generation. OxyChem has devoted significant engineering resources to its resource conservation, recycling and waste minimization programs to achieve this performance.