Emissions

  • 1.17MMmetric tons of GHGs emitted in 2017, a 42% reduction since 2012 and 37% below 2016
  • 25%reduction in GHG emissions intensity in 2017 and 46% from the 2012 baseline, again exceeding our 2020 goal of a 25% reduction

The composition of our air emissions is unique to each PPG facility due to the varying products produced and manufacturing processes used. For all emissions, we are focused on reduction through improved operating practices, product reformulations and, where necessary, emissions control equipment.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

We are reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions primarily by lowering our energy consumption (see the Energy section).

We emitted 1.17 million metric tons of GHGs in 2017, which is a 42 percent reduction since 2012 and 37 percent below 2016. This equals a reduction of 854,000 metric tons and 676,000 metric tons, respectively.

Our GHG emissions intensity decreased 25 percent in 2017 and 46 percent from the 2012 baseline, again exceeding our 2020 goal of a 25 percent reduction. Key factors behind the declines were the sale of energy-intensive businesses and a long-term focus on energy conservation at all of our locations.

We will be implementing a new goal in 2018:

  • 15% reduction in GHG emissions intensity measured in total tons discharged by 2025 from a 2017 baseline
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Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents
2012 2.02
2013 2.05
2014 2.08
2015 2.02
2016 1.84
2017 1.17

Data include direct and indirect emissions. We divested our flat glass and European fiber glass businesses in 2016 and remaining fiberglass operations in 2017.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity
Metric tons of emissions per metric ton of production
  Total Direct Indirect
2012
Baseline		 0.52 0.29 0.24
2013 0.47 0.25 0.22
2014 0.46 0.25 0.21
2015 0.43 0.22 0.21
2016 0.37 0.18 0.19
2017 0.28 0.11 0.16

Intensity data include direct and indirect emissions. We report greenhouse gas as carbon dioxide equivalents, which include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

Air Emissions

In 2017, we achieved absolute reductions in four key categories of air emissions and intensity reductions in three categories compared to prior year.

Air Emissions Intensity
Metric tons of emissions per 1,000 metric tons of production
  Particulates Volatile Organic Compounds Nitrogen Oxides Sulfur Dioxide
2013 0.37 0.57 1.86 0.34
2014 0.35 0.47 1.60 0.23
2015 0.36 0.48 1.45 0.26
2016 0.26 0.45 1.08 0.17
2017 0.13 0.52 0.29 0.03

While 2017 absolute volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions were reduced by 3 percent from 2016 levels, overall VOC intensity increased slightly.