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Priority substances
Shell chemicals companies are committed to achieving continuous environmental performance improvements.
Priority Substance* emissions
There were further significant decreases in both benzene and butadiene emissions between 2005 and 2006, in line with the target to achieve a 35% reduction in unit emissions from 2002 levels by 2007.
Link to more information on benzene and butadiene emissions.
| Annual Reporting Threshold | To air | To water | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Benzene | 100 | 149,650 | 2,720 | 152,370 |
Butadiene, 1,3 | 100 | 170,761 | 0 | 170,761 |
Chloro-2,3 epoxypropane (ECH) | 100 | 4,770 | 0 | 4,770 |
Propylene Oxide (PO) | 100 | 5,446 | 10,445 | 15,891 |
Ethylene Oxide (EO) | 100 | 15,210 | 2,443 | 17,653 |
Vinyl chloride | 100 | 8,100 | 25 | 8,125 |
Allyl chloride | 1,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dichloropropene, 2,3 | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Dichloropropene, 1,3 | 100 | 2,012 | 0 | 2,012 |
Drins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Extractable Organic Chloride (EOCI) | 10 | 0 | 77 | 77 |
Ethylbenzene | 1,000 | 16,967 | 3,500 | 20,467 |
Styrene | 1,000 | 33,201 | 4,203 | 37,404 |
Toluene | 1,000 | 75,523 | 700 | 76,223 |
Xylenes | 1,000 | 56,496 | 247 | 56,743 |
Cadmium | 1 | 8 | 2 | 10 |
Chromium | 10 | 5 | 101 | 106 |
Cobalt | 10 | 49 | 2,326 | 2,375 |
Copper | 10 | 38 | 99 | 137 |
Lead | 10 | 31 | 2 | 33 |
Mercury | 1 | 11 | 2 | 13 |
Nickel | 10 | 1,729 | 447 | 2,176 |
Zinc | 100 | 2,500 | 1,545 | 4,045 |
Kjeldahl nitrogen | 1,000 | 0 | 192,520 | 192,520 |
Phosphorous | 1,000 | 0 | 468,117 | 468,117 |
Total | 542,507 | 689,521 | 1,232,028 |
* The list of ‘priority’ substances is based on a number of (inter)nationally recognised listings of substances, such as EU List I, TA Luft and the US Toxic Release Inventory.
The substances included are considered to be of prime concern on the basis of their known hazardous properties, potentially affecting human health and/or environmental quality. We have aimed to include all substances with relevance to Shell chemicals companies in the current list. The data includes permitted and any unplanned releases.
Please note that all figures greater than 1,000 on the table are rounded to three significant figures.
Annual reporting thresholds are applied at individual locations.