Our operations have both direct and indirect effects on the environment, and we are committed to establishing ourselves as an environmentally responsible organization. Our goal is to minimize our ecological footprint across all business activities to the greatest extent possible.

We recognize that our business activities pose environmental risks and that our operations depend on vital resources such as energy, water, and construction materials. To mitigate this impact, we strive to uphold rigorous environmental standards now and in the future.

Environmental considerations are central to our Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) management system. Our HSSE policy mandates that we utilize energy and raw materials judiciously, prevent environmental pollution, and foster ecological awareness among our employees to reduce adverse effects. For many years, we have been tracking product release frequencies and volumes, energy and water consumption, and waste generation across our operations. This data has allowed us to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to better assess and refine our environmental performance. Additionally, our parent company, Marquard & Bahls, conducts evaluations of our overall carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to understand our contribution to climate change.

To further protect the environment as part of our HSSE management strategy, we conduct regular monitoring of groundwater quality at our tank terminals. The results are analyzed by our team of environmental specialists to ensure compliance and improve our practices.

Our company relies on both direct and indirect energy sources to power our offices, facilities, sites, and vehicles. Direct energy consumption includes resources such as natural gas, heating oil, and fuel for our various operations, including pumps, boilers, and operational vehicles. In contrast, indirect energy primarily consists of electricity, which supports product pumping, lighting at our tank terminals, and the computers utilized in our global offices. Additionally, we also utilize indirect energy sources such as district heating and, to a lesser extent, imported steam.

The highest energy demand arises from the pumping operations conducted at our tank terminals. To identify potential energy savings and enhance efficiency, we align our local activities with our comprehensive Energy Saving Guidelines. This enables us to pinpoint additional savings opportunities tailored to specific work environments while also allowing us to establish broader recommendations for energy efficiency across our operations.

Water is an essential and precious resource on our planet. While a significant portion—two-thirds—of the Earth's surface is covered with water, only about 0.3 percent is suitable for human consumption, and its availability is unevenly spread across regions. Compounding this issue are climate change and accompanying droughts, leading to a serious and growing global water crisis. In many areas, fierce competition over this limited resource is already evident, particularly in regions where we operate and face water scarcity. Consequently, it becomes crucial for us to play an active role in conserving natural water resources, ensuring that our operational water usage is efficient, and safeguarding water quality.

In our organization, water is primarily utilized in office restrooms and at our tank terminals for tasks such as cleaning tanks, conducting hydrostatic tests, and heating products. To address water consumption concerns, we have incorporated water management strategies into the Pelican Island Storage Terminal's Energy Saving Program, recognizing that water demand is a critical area for improvement. We are also exploring the feasibility of using rainwater as an alternative to drinking water for industrial purposes, as well as implementing recycling systems for our cleaning and cooling water.

We manage both industrial waste, such as metals and packaging materials, and hazardous waste, which includes items like product remnants and separator residues that require special handling and disposal methods. A significant portion of our hazardous waste consists of contaminated water from oil-water separators and residues resulting from tank cleaning. This waste is either processed internally or handed over to licensed contractors for appropriate handling.

We categorize our waste into "industrial wastewater" and "wastewater needing monitoring." Wastewater needing monitoring contains residual materials even after treatment. To manage this, we utilize vacuum trucks to collect the wastewater, which is then sent to specialized external companies for further treatment, with a focus on recycling.

Our tank terminals are equipped with oil-water separators and advanced wastewater treatment systems designed to effectively manage wastewater. Regular sampling is conducted to assess the performance of these systems and ensure compliance with safety standards.