Environmental

Environmental management

KPIC practices its company-wide environment management goal of "Zero environmental pollution" to open a prosperous tomorrow where humans and nature are in harmony. We operate ISO 14001, an international standard for the environmental management system, throughout the entire business process. Other activities include priority investment in pollution prevention infrastructure such as largescale wastewater treatment facility, VOC recovery facility, ULNB(Ultra Low NOx Burner), SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction), and remote monitoring network of pollution emission status, as well as participation in voluntary agreements for energy conservation and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and voluntary practice of RC(Responsible Care) movement.


Environmental Management Operation System

Environmental Management Goals


Environmental compliance

KPIC strictly complies with the laws and regulations by establishing and revising internal guidelines (company rules). Areas that are not implemented as a follow-up to an internal audit are improved through corrective actions. In addition to legal regulations, we continue efforts to fulfill our eco-friendly management goals by improving environmental management through our PDCA Cycle.

<Violation of environmental laws>

Unit 2021 2022 2023
No. 0 0 1

※ Violation of non-monetary sanctions

<Environmental training>

Unit 2021 2022 2023
Hours 9,342 6,553 5,655

※ Main training: Safety training for supervisors, regular safety and health training for employees, safety training for workers who change the work contents


Green Business Portfolio

Development of sustainable future business

By reviewing technologies and their feasibilities related to carbon neutrality, such as the Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) business announced by the Korean government as a core business for the 2050 Net Zero declaration, as well as the waste plastic recycling business through collaboration with other companies. In particular, we succeeded in developing and commercializing PE material for separators, a core material for secondary batteries, in 2010, and it was selected as the World's Premier Product. KPIC will strive to identify the key business that can contribute to a low-carbon society with the goal of a sustainable future.


Expanding Green Business Portfolio

Biodegradable plastic business
Expansion of Chinese joint venture business
Seeking equity investment and M&A opportunities
Carbon dioxide recycling
Strengthening industry-university research cooperation, such as the development of adsorption materials and CO2-based petrochemical raw materials
Eco-friendly system
LCA, SCOPE 3
Eco-friendly certificate(ISCC+) acquire
Waste plastic recycling business
Signing MOUs with leading PTC technology companies
Developing PCR-PP recycling technology
  • PTC : Plastic to Chemical
  • PCR : Post Consumer Recycled
R&D carbon-neutral technology
Petrochemical Basic Oil Manufacturing Technology by Direct Conversion of Methane

PE/PP for rechargeable battery separator (LiBS)

Development of Korea's first VHMWPE resin for wet LiBS and PP resin for dry LiBS
World Class Product certification for PE/PP for separation membrane

Eco-friendly raw material product certification

Obtained ISCC PLUS Certifications for the use of biomass and recycled raw materials
ISCC PLUS(International Sustainability & Carbon Certification) : Third-party certification for appropriate production, management, and sales of products using eco-friendly, low-carbon raw materials


Climate change

Carbon Neutrality Goal

KPIC has set a goal of achieving zero carbon emissions when expanding its business by 2040 and carbon neutrality by 2050. With the goal of acquiring and commercializing carbon reduction technologies, we continue to conduct research and invest in the development of high-efficiency, low-energy processes and technologies for utilizing eco-friendly materials such as renewable fuels and raw materials based on industry-academia cooperation. We will continue to take the lead in achieving 2050 Net Zero by maximizing the utilization of renewable energy through participation in K-RE100.


Climate Change Risk Management

KPIC has recognized the regulations to curb and reduce GHG emissions to cope with climate change and changes in consumer confidence and brand value as risk factors. In the short term, we identify the increase in the cost of carbon credits due to the strengthened GHG regulations as a risk factor and view the cost saving due to energy reduction and the use of renewable raw materials as an opportunity factor.

We implemented an internal GHG computer system to measure monthly GHG emissions and basic units and disclose them in the system. The GHG management plan to solve the risk of GHG regulation is developed under close review by the related divisions.

Due to the characteristics of its business, KPIC is sensitive to risks and opportunities related to climate change, such as carbon credit price trends. We estimate the range of future costs for responding to the emission trading system through the trend of carbon prices under the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) scenario and the average transaction price of carbon emissions in the past.


Reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

KPIC has been reducing greenhouse gas emissions continuously by introducing high-efficiency facilities, and as a company subject to emissions trading system allocation, we calculate and externally report greenhouse gas emissions every year. In addition to company-wide GHG reduction activities, from 2023, we plan to enhance the carbon footprint management from a life-cycle perspective through LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) and GHG Scope3 measurement by product, and continuously find ways to reduce emissions.

Category Unit 2021 2022 2023
GHG emissions SCOPE 1 tCO2-e 1,465,626 1,115,119 1,404,627
Proportion of direct GHG emissions subject to emission restriction % 100 99 99
SCOPE 2 tCO2-e 264,751 249,354 306,729
Total emission (SCOPE 1 & 2) tCO2-e 1,730,377 1,364,472 1,711,356

LCA, Life Cycle Assessment

  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is a technique for measuring environmental impacts (carbon emissions and other environmental impacts) over the entire life cycle (Scope 1-3), including the collection, processing, and disposal of raw materials required to create a product.

Minimizing environmental impact

Air-Pollution Management

We complies with the total emission allowances of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, which are air pollutants, according to the emission allowance standard of the Clean Air Conservation Act and the Special Act On The Improvement Of Air Quality In Air Control Zones. In addition, we minimize pollutant emissions by installing and operating nitrogen oxide reduction and prevention facilities (SCR and SNCR) and dust reduction and prevention facilities (a dust collector system and electric precipitators).

Air pollutant emissions (Unit : Ton)


Water and Wastewater Management

KPIC is making great efforts to reduce the generation of wastewater and achieve efficient utilization of water resources by monitoring water usage and investing in reuse facilities. We strive to develop an efficient water supply system by reviewing the economics of water supply in cooperation with other companies in the corporation, and minimize pollutant discharge based on our own standards for wastewater pollutants, which are higher than the legal allowable standards.

We receive settled water from the Korea Water Resources Corporation, and in case of emergency, we are prepared for water supply-related risks through access to 60,000 tons of fresh water from the reservoir on the north side of the corporation. Furthermore, we are expanding the reuse and reduction of water use by investing in wastewater reduction facilities and reuse recovery facilities.

Category Unit 2021 2022 2023
Water pollutants emission TOC Ton 8.8 19.8 60.8
BOD 9.9 10.7 25.0
SS 5.9 6.8 20.5
Category Unit 2021 2022 2023
Water usage Water intake Ton 9,440,863 8,265,262 10,230,587
Wastewater release 2,010,373 1,969,356 2,463,732
Water consumption 7,430,490 6,295,906 7,766,855

Management of Chemical/Soil Contamination

We minimize chemical emissions to the atmosphere from non-point process sources by regularly measuring and repairing leaks based on the chemical LDAR (Leak Detecting and Repair) system, installing discharge walls for facilities that cause soil pollution, and paving floors with impermeable concrete. In addition, we study the impact of soil pollution on facilities and the soil around our sites through site patrols and periodic tests of soil contamination and leakage.


Waste Management

KPIC production plants check waste separation status thoroughly when the waste is delivered to the storage area and manage the source of waste discharge intensively. We are building a virtuous cycle of resources by maximizing the recycling of generated waste. The stored wastes are transported to the disposal companies through legally authorized specialized contractors' vehicles for disposal, and the entire process is recorded and monitored through the government's 'Correctly System'. In addition, we analyze the recyclability of wastes and dispose of recyclable wastes through recycling contractors, and conduct regular inspections every year to thoroughly manage the legal disposal of wastes through waste disposal companies.

2021 2022 2023
Waste recycling rate (%) 92% 90% 92%