Our key indicator
- Discharge of phosphoric acid into the natural environment (tons discharged / tons produced).
Our actions
To limit our impact on the quality of air, water, soil and subsoil as best possible, we are constantly improving our production processes and managing our discharges. Our ISO 14001 certification attests to this ongoing commitment.
Our environmental policy is particularly based on a study of the environmental impact of the production of phosphoric acids at the Engis site, carried out by the University of Liège (BE).
The study, conducted according to a methodology that complies with international standards, covered the various stages of the product’s life, and analyzed its impact at different levels: climate change, carbon footprint, eutrophication, depletion of water resources, land use, wastewater discharge, etc.
The lifecycle analysis identified the consumption of raw materials (mainly phosphates and mining) and their transportation as the activities with the greatest impact. These issues are therefore the subject of particular attention when it comes to the implementation of specific actions (see pillar 1. Short and responsible circuits and pillar 4. Circular economy).
Beyond these actions, other initiatives are underway to minimize the environmental impact of our activities:
- The reduction and control of particle emissions into the air to below the limit of 50 µg/m³;
- The use of suppliers and transporters with a ‘CO2 neutral’ label;
- The enclosure of all tanks at production sites to prevent soil infiltration.
Considering that the operation of an industrial site is accompanied by legal obligations in terms of communication and reporting to the authorities, and being aware of the wishes of the residents around the Engis site (BE) to be better informed about the reality of our activities and our environmental practices, we have opted for complete transparency via a dedicated and freely accessible website presenting the environmental report. Feel free to explore the website for the latest information: https://rapport-environnemental.prayon.com/ .
As part of this open approach, we meet with them, listen to them and explain in all transparency the causes of any difficulties we encounter. Through this proximity approach, we intend to strengthen the relationship of trust with the authorities and the locals.
The various actions taken through our environmental policy have enabled the Prayon Group to maintain/renew the operating permits for its various sites.
Our various certifications in these areas of activity reflect our concrete commitment in the field.
Our achievements in 2022
Discharge of phosphoric acid into the natural environment
(tons discharged / tons produced)
- Prayon has continued to reduce its phosphoric acid discharges into the natural environment, with a positive trend (ratio of tons discharged to tons produced), i.e. a 4% reduction for the year and a 29% reduction since 2020;
- Prayon has successfully completed the acquisition of the Capterall® business, an innovative technology for capturing micropollutants in wastewater. The transfer of production equipment to the Engis site was completed in October 2022.
