Boeing targets 25 percent facility-wide reduction of energy use and GHG emissions by 2012

Boeing targets 25 percent facility-wide reduction of energy use and GHG emissions by 2012 | Boeing 2008 Environment Report, Jim McNerney, Mary Armstrong

Final assembly of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that is claimed to be 20% more fuel and CO2 efficient (photo: Boeing)
Thu 22 May 2008 – According to its 2008 Environment Report just published, Boeing is aiming to reduce its energy use and GHG emissions in its manufacturing operations by a quarter on a revenue-adjusted basis over the next five years, with similar goals for recycling and hazardous waste. Another target is that all major Boeing manufacturing facilities will achieve certification to the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard by the end of 2008.
 
For the period 2002 to 2007, the company says it managed to reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions at its major facilities by 24% and hazardous waste by 30% on a revenue-adjusted basis. On an absolute basis, the reductions are 5% for energy use, 4.8% for CO2 emissions and 12% for hazardous waste.
 
“Climate change and pollution are serious global concerns,” said Jim McNerney, Boeing’s Chairman, President and CEO. “Recognizing that, Boeing has set a clear strategy to help protect our eco-system. Our greatest contributions will continue to come from innovation – delivering improved environmental performance for customers while relentlessly reducing our own footprint.
 
“Because of the tremendous benefits aerospace brings to the world, our industry – and our company with it – is growing, and we are focused on achieving carbon-neutral growth and then continued reductions.”
 
Boeing’s Vice President of Environment, Health and Safety, Mary Armstrong said: “We have a responsibility to be good stewards of our environment and good neighbours. We are committed to continuously reducing the environmental impact of our operations and to ensuring timely cleanup of sites that have been affected by prior practices that have created pollution.
 
“Boeing is disclosing its facilities’ carbon footprint and hazardous waste figures publicly for the first time. Our challenging target over the next five years is to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions on an absolute basis, even as our business is growing. We have clear plans to meet that goal.”
 
The report also features technology advances Boeing has made in aircraft fuel and noise efficiency, fuel cells, solar cells, biofuels and air traffic management solutions. Boeing has committed to improving the fuel efficiency and reductions in CO2 emissions of each new generation of commercial airplanes by at least 15%.
 
The company reveals that since 2006, in conjunction with the Aircraft Fleet Recycling Association, around 5,000 commercial and 1,000 military aircraft have been scrapped.
 
In May 2007, Boeing combined the existing Safety, Health and Environmental Affairs (SHEA) functions of its Shared Services Group (SSG) into the Environment, Health and Safety organization, with new functions focused on:
• Establishing enterprise strategies and objectives to address current and potential future environmental issues associated with Boeing products, services, facilities and technologies, and those of its business partners.
• Defining and implementing enterprise environmental management systems and tools for integrating environmental capabilities into the company’s core operating processes, such as design and manufacturing.
• Establishing standards, processes and guidelines for routinely tracking Boeing’s and its business partners’ performance to these environmental plans and objectives.
 
 
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