• Facility reduced overall environmental footprint, water use, waste & costs
HOUSTON, TX, May 10, 2007 -- At GE's World Water Tour in Houston today, GE Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), honored BASF FINA Petrochemicals LP with an ecomagination Leadership Award for its outstanding environmental efforts. BASF FINA Petrochemicals, a joint venture between BASF Corporation and Total Petrochemicals USA, Inc., reduced its overall environmental footprint by creating a water program that saved 560,000 gallons of water, reduced wastewater costs, and eliminated seven tons of waste during a 12-month period.
Joining the award ceremony were water industry experts that came together at the World Water Tour to learn from best practices on ways to create sustainable supplies of water, decrease energy consumption and meet environmental requirements.
"BASF FINA Petrochemicals is an exceptional example of strong environmental leadership," said Jeff Garwood, CEO, GE Water & Process Technologies. "The facility met environmental and industrial challenges head-on and decreased its water use, waste and costs. BASF FINA Petrochemicals' leadership reveals that being green isn't only good for the environment, but it is also good for industrial businesses."
The BASF FINA Petrochemicals team worked with GE Water & Process Technologies engineers to implement a water-savings program that reduced the number of cleanings the facility needed. The program kept the facility up and running between scheduled cleanings and turnarounds and enabled BASF FINA Petrochemicals to eliminate 14 cleanings at the site. Over a 12-month period, the site saved more than 560,000 gallons of water by reducing the number of cleanings. Additionally, the program helped reduced the risk of benzene exposure to the environment by 93%.
"We are very honored to receive an ecomagination award from GE," said Pete Cella, BASF Group Vice President for Petrochemicals in North America. "As a company, we are committed to combining economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. This award signifies this commitment, which is also shared by GE."
BASF FINA Petrochemicals' Port Arthur site is home to one of the world's largest steam crackers. The steam cracker converts naphtha and light hydrocarbons into ethylene and propylene, which are key raw materials in the manufacture of plastics, fibers, solvents, paints, surfactants (surface-active agents) and other products.
GE works with its customers, like BASF FINA Petrochemicals, to help solve some of the most demanding industrial, environmental and operating challenges. GE's ecomagination Leadership Award is awarded to the top one percent of customers, who demonstrate an established environmental commitment and record in addressing environmental challenges.
For more information on GE Water & Process Technologies, ecomagination Leadership Awards or GE's World Water Tour, please visit www.gewater.com.
GE Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Company, is solving some of the world's most pressing water challenges by providing industrial, agricultural and potable water, while lessening our dependence on fresh water sources.
BASF FINA Petrochemicals LP is a joint venture between BASF Corporation and Total Petrochemicals USA, Inc. The Port Arthur facility operates one of the largest steam crackers in the world, turning naphtha and light hydrocarbons into ethylene, propylene, and other chemical raw materials. The products from the cracker are in turn used to manufacture hundreds of consumer products.
Total Petrochemicals USA, Inc. is headquartered in Houston and produces polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, styrene, base chemicals and transportation fuels. With sales of $9.8 billion in 2006, the company employs about 1,700 people in the U.S. and has manufacturing facilities in Texas and Louisiana as well as a research and technology facility in La Porte, Texas and a refinery in Port Arthur, Texas.
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