Greenhouse Gas Emissions
MSD’s 2009 GHG emissions inventory establishes a baseline of GHG emissions associated with MSD operations and facilities. Our primary emission sources arise from stationary combustion of natural gas, use of purchased electricity, and mobile combustion (fleet vehicle fuel consumption). The total emissions for 2009 amounted to 83,408 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O), expressed as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-e).
For the future, our goals are to develop a carbon-reduction policy and to reduce our carbon footprint over time by improving energy efficiency and cutting consumption of carbon-based fuels. In addition, we want to bring our GHG-reduction efforts into alignment with regional government initiatives and set appropriate targets for GHG reductions. We will also expand the scope of future GHG inventories to include secondary sources of emissions, such as emergency and backup generators, treatment plant processes, employee commuting, treatment chemical use, and sludge disposal.
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