The flue gas desulfurisation unit launched in Płock not only helps reduce NOx, SOx and particulate matter emissions, but also delivers high quality synthetic gypsum, which has been recognised as a product in its own right. This method of producing gypsum helps protect its natural resources. Now that gypsum has been recognised as a by-product, it is no longer classified as waste. ORLEN Południe is Poland’s only company that operates a specialist hydrogenation line, enabling safe regeneration of waste oils into base oils used to make lubricating oils. The process is a model example of a circular economy solution.
Waste generated by the ORLEN Group includes primarily waste from processing of crude oil, production of organic chemicals and fuel combustion, as well as sludge from treatment of industrial wastewater, waste oils and post-repair waste.
In total, ORLEN Group companies generated more than 220,500 Mg of non-municipal waste in 2019.
Data on the amounts of generated hazardous and non-hazardous waste is presented below.
Waste volumes generated at ORLEN Group companies
Quantity of generated waste [Mg]
2019
2018
change %
Hazardous waste
112,745
72,009
56.57
Non-hazardous waste
107,779
97,075
11.03
Total
220,524
169,084
30.42
The increase in the hazardous waste volumes was due mainly to the generation of over 41,000 tonnes of contaminated soil, including stones, in connection with the construction of a glycol production unit at ORLEN Południe’s production plant in Trzebinia.
Waste management
GRI:
306-2
The waste managed by the ORLEN Group in 2019 was subjected to recovery and disposal processes at the companies’ own units or recovered otherwise. Some of the waste was stored and the remaining volumes were transferred to licensed third-party operators.
Waste management
Hazardous waste [Mg]
Non-hazardous waste [Mg]
Waste recovered
at own units
46,526
10,676
other than at own units
0
7,815
Total
46,526
18,491
Waste disposed of
at own units
13,850
3,357
thermally treated at own units
25,456
12,891
landfilled in own landfills
2,441
22
Total
41,747
16,269
Waste landfilled
46,473
16,988
Waste transferred to third parties
39,251
87,079
Total
173,997
138,828
The largest volumes of the recovered waste were waste oils recovered using the waste oil regeneration unit at ORLEN Południe. Additionally, Ship-Service operates recovery and disposal processes in its liquid petroleum waste recovery and disposal unit.
Waste recovery without the use of the companies’ units was carried out by ORLEN Eko in connection with the reclamation of a hazardous waste landfill site.
Thermal processing of waste takes place in the hazardous waste thermal treatment unit operated by ORLEN Eko. All of the abovementioned units are also used to process waste received from third parties.
Furthermore, internally-generated waste is recovered and disposed of at the ORLEN Group’s own production units, including the terephthalic acid production unit at PKN ORLEN, the unit for hydrogen chloride recovery from organic chloride waste at ANWIL, bioremediation units and wastewater treatment plants.
Nearly 2,500 of waste was transferred to ORLEN Eko’s and ANWIL’s landfills.
Cross-border transport of waste
GRI:
306-4
The Group complies with the Basel Convention, which means that it operates in accordance with the Convention as well as the EU legislation on cross-border transport of waste. Such transport involves designated border crossing points and designated customs offices. For waste to be exported, the ORLEN Group makes the required notifications or obtains the necessary decisions. In 2019, 9,068 Mg of waste, including 6,370 Mg of hazardous waste (spent catalysts), was transported to other countries. This represents 4.1% of total waste generated by the ORLEN Group.