Environmental KPIs

WE Soda has strong environmental and sustainability credentials, which are best-in-class across the soda ash industry.1 For our full range of environmental performance indictors, you can read our 2023 Annual Report.

Water stewardship

Water is an essential input to our production process, as well as being important to the local communities in which we operate.

Because climate change is expected to increase the pressure on water resources and increase the risk of water scarcity, it is important that we operate with a water stewardship strategy designed to protect and preserve the water resources of our communities and our operations.

During 2023, our total water intensity was approximately 2.15, less than one-quarter of the water intensity of synthetic soda ash producers.

By 2027 we will reduce our water intensity by 20% relative to a 2022 baseline.


Download 2023 CDP report

WE Soda Group | Water Security

Sea blue-green turquoise water underwater blue sky

Emissions

Reducing our CO2e emissions is a priority.

We already produce soda ash with low Scope 1 & 2 CO2e emissions intensity by comparison with synthetic soda ash producers.

The majority of CO2 released during our soda ash production process is captured and re-used in the production of sodium bicarbonate.

  • Our Scope 1 & 2 CO2e emissions intensity was approximately 0.33 in 2023 – around one third of synthetic producers.

  • Our Scope 1, 2 & 3 CO2e emissions intensity was approximately 0.51 in 2023 – around half that of synthetic producers.2

Our emissions targets:
20% reduction of Scope 1 and 2 intensity by 2027 and 40% by 2032.
Net Zero CO₂e emissions by 2050.

Download 2023 CDP report

WE Soda Group | Climate Change

Green plants growing greenery blurred background

Energy

We are committed to increasing our renewable energy capacity and usage. It is a fundamental element of our sustainability strategy.

We have installed 7MW of PV solar generation capacity at our facilities which came on-stream during the first quarter of 2023, with a further 8MW planned by year end 2024.

At our Turkish operations we estimate that by 2032 we will have installed up to 250MW of solar and wind capacity.

In 2022 we announced West Soda, which will be the first soda ash production facility globally to source the majority of its electrical power needs from renewable sources.


Image: Solar array at Kazan Soda

Solar PV panels Türkiye renewable energy

Waste management

We approach waste with a circular mindset, this reduces the amount of waste our sites generate and opens additional revenue streams.

We take measures to recover, re-use or recycle the waste generated in our operations, reducing the amount of waste that we send for disposal.

Where possible, we aim to apply the principles of circular economy, for example:

  • Production of sodium bicarbonate using recycled CO2

  • Reuse of purge in the production of caustic soda

  • Sale of fly ash for use in cement production

  • Refinement and sale of industrial salt

  • Sale of calcium carbonate for flue gas desulphurisation

Although hazardous waste forms significantly less than 1% of our total waste, we are commitment to reducing this. We monitor and measure all our waste streams, and have a project team dedicated to implementing initiatives to continuously reduce waste.

Circular economy diagram showing the cycle of trona and soda ash

Our broader environmental commitments

Increasing and preserving biodiversity and improving air quality are the focus of several of our projects.

Biodiversity

In 2016, Kazan Soda initiated a project focusing on preserving biodiversity in the area surrounding our production plant. The project identified six endemic plans which required specific protection plans. To date, we have established a 10,000m2 conservation area and have started working with local schools to provide education on the importance of biodiversity and protecting endemic species.

Read more about Kazan Soda's Biodiversity Conservation and Monitoring Project:

Social Impact Report

News article

Air quality

We regularly sample and monitor the effects that our activities have on the environment. At Eti Soda, dust, CO, SO2 and NO2 parameters are constantly monitored.

Purple flowers with factory in the background Kazan Soda Türkiye

1 We determine our impact on nature and the environment in comparison to our peers through the assessment of our energy intensity of 1.37 MWh/mt, Scope 1 & 2 CO2e emissions intensity of 0.334, water intensity of 2.15, and total waste directed to disposal of 85,850 mt (in each case for 2023) as these metrics provide a relative and comparable measure of performance across our industry.

2 Scope 3 Emissions Categories; 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 9.