Environmental Impact Reduction
Air Quality
Policy
SK Gas regularly measures and reports the concentration of pollutants emitted from air pollution emission facilities, maintaining emissions at a Global Top Peer level due to the low emission levels during processes. Additionally, SK Gas supplies LPG and LNG, which emit fewer air pollutants compared to solid fuels, contributing to the preservation of air quality in local communities. SK Gas will continue investing in and managing facilities to maintain this Global Top level and contribute to environmental conservation in local communities.
Strategies and Activities
Although the amount of air pollutants emitted during processes is low, SK Gas continues to invest in and manage its facilities. To comply with the legal obligations of the Air Quality Management Area Act, three C3 Heaters at the Ulsan base were equipped with a Tele Monitoring System (TMS) in the first half of 2023. This system automatically measures and transmits NOx emissions in real-time to the Korea Environment Corporation for monitoring, aiming to reduce air pollutants.
- *TMS (Tele Monitoring System): A device that automatically measures and transmits the amount of air pollutants emitted.
Achievements and Goals
SK Gas aims to maintain NOx, SOx, dust, VOCs, and other air pollutant emissions at Global Top Peer levels and achieve zero air pollutant emissions at its sites by 2030.
Total Air Pollutant Emissions and Goals
| Category | Unit | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Goal | 2025 Goal | 2026 Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) | ton | 18.37 | 17.28 | 17.43 | 17.82 | 14.64 | 12.47 | 9.98 |
| Sulfur Oxides (SOx) | ton | 0.08 | 0.07 | 0.06 | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.03 |
| Dust (PM) | ton | 0.56 | 0.53 | 0.50 | 0.54 | 0.47 | 0.38 | 0.31 |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) | ton | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Total Air Pollutant Emissions | ton | 19.01 | 17.88 | 17.99 | 18.42 | 15.14 | 12.90 | 10.32 |
| Emission Intensity | ton/KRW billion | 0.04 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.03 | 0.02 | 0.02 | 0.01 |
Water
Policy
SK Gas acknowledges the global issue of water resource scarcity essential for business operations. Therefore, we continuously explore and implement water reuse and recycling methods. SK Gas facilities are not classified as water pollutant discharge facilities under the Water Environment Conservation Act. All used water is discharged through public sewage treatment plants, meeting legally required water quality standards. Additionally, to enhance water recycling and efficient usage, we reuse some of the wastewater through a greywater system, thereby reducing water usage and wastewater generated.
Strategies and Activities
SK Gas has established a water management system to monitor water usage in its operations and manages water pollutants through various activities.
LPG Storage Water Recycling
We purify contaminated groundwater infiltrated into LPG storage facilities using our water treatment system and recycle it as fire-fighting water.
Installation of Greywater Systems
Headquarters and Pyeongtaek Terminal have installed greywater systems to reuse domestic wastewater from buildings. We plan to introduce a greywater system at the Ulsan Terminal by 2025.
Non-Point Source Pollution Management
To prevent water pollution from stormwater runoff at Pyeongtaek Terminal and G.Hub Terminal, we have installed non-point source pollution reduction facilities to protect external water environments.
Water Pollutant Management
Due to increased methanol content in LPG from some sources, we are expanding the capacity of our Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) facilities to manage the concentration of water pollutants in cavern infiltrated water. All used water is discharged through public sewage treatment plants, and we conduct annual self-inspections to ensure compliance with legally required water quality standards.
- *MBR (Membrane Bioreactor): A water treatment method combining traditional biological treatment with membrane technology.
Achievements and Goals
SK Gas aims to achieve a 20% water recycling rate by 2030. We will enhance recycling through the implementation of a water management system and the introduction of greywater systems, along with identifying and improving leak points to reduce water intake.
Water Usage
(Unit: ton)
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Water Withdrawal | 34,769 | 31,097 | 29,178 | 33,843 | |
| Water Intake by Source | Municipal Water | 34,769 | 31,097 | 29,178 | 33,843 |
| Groundwater | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Others (rainwater, etc.) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Water Intake and Goals
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Goal | 2025 Goal | 2026 Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Water Withdrawal | 34,769 | 31,097 | 29,178 | 33,843 | 36,460 | 38,210 | 34,480 |
Total Water Pollutant Emissions
| Category | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total BOD Emissions | ton | Not applicable* | ||
| Total TOC Emissions | ton | |||
| Total SS Emissions | ton | |||
| Total Water Pollutant Emissions | ton | |||
| Intensity Emissions | ton/KRW 100 million | |||
- *SK Gas facilities are not classified as water pollutant discharge facilities under the Water Environment Conservation Act, so emission quantities are not calculated. All discharged water meets legally required water quality standards and is released through public sewage treatment plants.
Soil and Waste
Policy
Soil Management Policy
When constructing new facilities, SK Gas conducts preliminary environmental impact assessments in accordance with relevant regulations to identify and prevent soil contamination factors and threats to biodiversity. We actively communicate with local residents through public hearings to address their concerns.
Waste Management Policy
SK Gas continuously strives to minimize environmental pollution caused by leachate and air pollutants generated from waste landfill or incineration processes by promoting waste recycling. We establish and execute waste reduction and recycling goals, introduce new technologies, and identify recycling companies to enhance recycling efforts.
Strategies and Activities
Soil Management Activities
SK Gas operates in industrial complexes in Pyeongtaek and Ulsan, where the likelihood of soil contamination is very limited due to the nature of our business involving LPG/LNG import and distribution. Nevertheless, we monitor storage tanks 24/7 using CCTV to respond immediately to any soil contamination incidents. Each facility conducts regular preventive drills, installs detectors for early detection, and establishes emergency response processes to prevent soil and marine pollution from chemical leaks, striving to minimize damage in case of emergencies.
Waste Management Activities
SK Gas efficiently reduces and recycles waste by understanding the waste emission status at headquarters and each facility, managing the environmental risk levels according to classification systems. We actively implement measures to enhance recycling by introducing new technologies and identifying recycling companies. We monitor recycling rates at each facility through international certifications. Following the ZWTL (Zero Waste to Landfill) certification for Ulsan Terminal, Pyeongtaek Terminal, and G.Hub, we complemented the headquarters' waste management system in September 2023 and achieved 100% recycling rate, earning ZWTL certification.
Achievements and Goals
Waste Management Goals
In 2023, SK Gas achieved a waste recycling rate of 98.20%, surpassing the annual goal of 98.02%. We will continue to strive for 100% waste recycling across all facilities by 2030 according to our mid- to long-term recycling plan.
Waste Generated
(Unit: ton)
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Goal | 2025 Goal | 2026 Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Waste Generated | 788.6 | 750.7 | 973.1 | 538.8 | 520.0 | 510.0 | 500.0 |
| General Wastes | 137.6 | 101.9 | 438.8 | 169.1 | |||
| Designated Wastes | 651.0 | 648.9 | 534.3 | 369.6 |
Wastes Recycling Rates and Goals
(Unit: %)
| Category | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Goal | 2025 Goal | 2026 Goal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wastes Recycling Rate | 30.3 | 97.7 | 98.8 | 98.2 | 100 | 100 | 100 |