Sasol Limited Sustainability Report 2021 - Book - Page 48
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SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE AGAINST OUR FOCUS AREAS: MINIMISING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT (CONTINUED)
Air quality abatement achievements: Towards 2025
2016
2025
We are committed to complying with the MES by April 2025, in line with the conditions of our AELs. The only exception is SO2 emissions from our coal-fired boilers.
To achieve this, we are working on the following projects:
PMs, NOx, SO2
Incinerators
• Installation of low NOx burners on the remaining coal-fired boilers in Secunda and Sasolburg Operations aimed at reducing
boiler NOx emissions.
• Improved operational control philosophy aimed at reducing emissions, through strict waste feed management
and monitoring.
• Installation of high-frequency controllers on the electrostatic precipitators of the remaining boilers in Secunda and
Sasolburg.
• Abatement installation on the existing decommissioned incinerator at Sasolburg Operations as a waste steam alternative.
The preferred option, which is actively being investigated, is to find a sustainable alternative method for the handling
of the waste stream.
• Installation of abatement equipment at the Synfuels catalytic cracker stack within Secunda Operations.
• Natref vacuum pre-flash off-gas furnace installation to address SO2 emissions.
• Installation of electrostatic precipitator at the fluidised catalytic cracker (FCC) and carbon monoxide (CO) boiler upgrade for
PM reduction at Natref.
VOCs
• Natref sulphur recovery unit availability improvement projects.
• Streamlining of the Sasolburg Operations' blending facilities to meet the SO2 standard.
• Installation of abatement equipment at the crude tar tanks within Secunda Operations.
• Finalising the technical viability of a potential solution for SO2 at our Secunda Operations. We are also considering
synergies with GHG-reduction objectives as part of our efforts to transform our operations to lower-carbon options.
• Gas liquor separation for further VOC reduction at Secunda Operations.
• Reduction of hydrocarbon releases from our phenosolvan and depitcher vents.
• Abatement of hydrocarbon release to atmosphere via the coal tar filtration stack at Secunda.
Continuous accuracy improvement in sampling and monitoring
Once we have implemented a technology, we need to consider the measurement of the low level concentrations required by
the new MES plant standards. This is because in some instances, our local service providers have not been able to make these
measurements and in other instances, there have been discrepancies in results between service providers. This has necessitated
accuracy verification for all service providers.
We therefore appointed Clear Air, an international environmental sampling and monitoring company (based in the United
States), to independently assess three local service providers’ proficiencies and to give guidance for improved accuracy
of analysis. Clear Air spent time in South Africa at our Secunda Operations in 2018 to assess three local service providers
while simultaneously taking measurements on our incinerators. Recommendations, such as best practices to avoid cross
contamination of samples have since been implemented by local service providers. In addition to this initial study, Clean Air
was recently appointed again by Sasol, to resolve an AEL investigation, by providing guidance on correct methodology to be
used for sampling ammonia in wet stack conditions considering the standard EPA methods are for dry stacks only. The proposed
methodology has been implemented and the outcome will be incorporated as part of the AEL investigation close out.
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Offsetting aimed at reducing non-industrial emission sources
• Phase two of our offsetting work, with the public participation process already completed at Secunda, Sasolburg
and Natref Operations.
Sasol Sustainability Report 2021