Greenhouse gas emissions

Since 2016, the domestic companies of the Capital Group of Grupa KĘTY S.A. have been recording climate-related emissions. Thanks to that, it has been possible to precisely define goals for the subsequent years. Since 2020, we have been reporting our emissions within the Climate Change programme run by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which is an international non-profit organisation researching the level of climate awareness among companies for many years. Carbon footprint calculations are based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard. The value of emission is reported in metric tons, as an equivalent of CO₂. The greenhouse gas emitted by the Capital Group plants is mainly carbon dioxide originating from the processes of natural gas combustion in heaters and industrial furnaces, boilers, radiators, and thermal oxidisers. Moreover GHG include also CH₄ and N₂O from the combustion of fuels in vehicles, as well as HFC used as cooling medium.

The basic emissions intensity indicator used for management purposes are direct and indirect GHG emissions calculated with the ‘location-based’ and referred to the production size.

The total level of direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1) is relatively low due to the nature of the in-house processes and high thermal efficiency of the systems and devices used. The Capital Group companies are not subject to the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS).

Compared with the base year 2016, the emissions intensity of the domestic companies of Grupa KĘTY S.A. Capital Group (Scopes 1+2, location-based/production size) decreased by 22% in reference to the production size, and by 25% for Grupa KĘTY S.A. alone. This means that the basic goal of the Climate Policy adopted in the currently binding Strategy, to be achieved by the year 2025, was attained in 2023.

Apart from monitoring direct and indirect emissions related to energy consumption (Scopes 1 and 2), Grupa KĘTY S.A. started to register major categories of Scope 3 emissions, i.e. ones related to the purchased materials and their transport.

Moreover, carbon footprint of the basic products of Grupa KĘTY S.A. and Aluprof S.A. determined in Type III Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) was presented. The carbon footprint of profiles manufactured from in-house produced billets is only 3.3 kg of CO₂e/kg. The value was determined based on the results of the Life Cycle Assessment, in compliance with the EN 15804 standard. The document has been verified by an external expert and has the status of a European ‘ECO-EPD verified’ declaration. The certificate has been published on the ITB [the Polish Building Technology Institute] sustainable building portal, thanks to which the profiles are acceptable in the ‘green buildings’ certification systems, such as BREEAM, LEED, or DGNB. This facilitates their use in creating sustainable architectural aluminium systems. Low carbon footprint of Grupa KĘTY S.A.’s products was achieved thanks to the high content of aluminium scrap in the melting charge. Recycled in the melting process is both pre-consumer and post-consumer scrap. The scrap is a component of materials for the production of aluminium billets, which are further used in extruding profiles.

Grupa KĘTY has implemented the Environmental Policy, which covers the goals related to pollutants emission to air. Every year, in the management system efficiency review based on the ISO 14001, measurable goals and tasks aimed at dusts and gases emission reduction are approved.

The companies of the Capital Group control the quantity of the substances emitted. The monitoring proves that the limits set out by law and administrative decisions have been kept. The total emissions level is well below the allowed limits.

Apart from greenhouse gases, the EPS emits to air: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, dust and small amounts of inorganic compounds. The sources of emission are the processes of natural gas combustion and chemical treatment of aluminium elements. The main pollutants emitted by the ASS plants include sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, dust, sulphuric acid, inorganic acids and aliphatic hydrocarbons. The FPS companies emit volatile organic compounds (VOC) to air, originating from the processes of printing, coating and lamination of packaging, as well as dust and gases from gas combustion in engineering and heating plants, plus sulphuric acid from the electroplating line.

Compared with 2022, higher emissions of dusts, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon oxide were determined at Grupa KĘTY S.A. This resulted from commissioning of aluminium bars homogenisation system and a new line for extrusion and heat treatment of aluminium profiles. With regard to the total emissions by the domestic companies of the Capital Group, changes were due to the following reasons.

• At the ASS there were higher emissions of inorganic acids and aliphatic hydrocarbons from the newly launched two powder coating lines at the plant in Bielsko-Biała. At the same time, liquidation of the electroplating shop in Złotów brought about reduced emissions of dusts, halogens, and hydrogen chloride.
• At the FPS a major increase in the emission of sulphur oxides was recorded. This resulted from a response to the appeal of the European Commission with regard to limiting the consumption of natural gas due to its deficit in the first quarter of 2023. The FPS decided to use alternative fuel, i.e. lightweight furnace oil in the stationary combustion sources (engineering boilers), which resulted in the higher emissions. The values measured fall within the limits of the obtained environmental decision. At the same time, actions were implemented to decommission one of the boilers and optimise afterburning with the use of regenerative thermal oxidation, which enabled a significant reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions.