Working with specialized organizations, we continually assess and manage the impact of our industrial operations, helping us to monitor the health of people living or working near our facilities. We take part in research and programs conducted by specialized organizations such as:
- Conservation of Clear Air and Water in Europe (CONCAWE).
- The French Union of Petroleum Industries (UFIP). In particular, we are involved in the European Commission's Clean Air for Europe (CAFE) program to identify effective measures to improve air quality.
We are working to reduce certain gaseous emissions near our facilities, a long-term process mainly focused on:
- Sulfur dioxide (SO2), which can react with the atmosphere to produce sulfuric acid. We are currently implementing a five-year capital expenditure program, due to be completed in 2010, to reduce our refineries’ total SO2 emissions by 20% from their 2004 levels.
- Nitrogen oxides (NOx), which contribute to the formation of ozone. In-house specialists have pooled their experience to improve the use of measurement instruments and our understanding of abatement techniques.
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which also contribute to the formation of ozone. We are continuing to improve our measurement methods and optimizing equipment maintenance to further reduce diffuse emissions.
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