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ENVIRONMENT
EMISSIONS
Reducing emissions using
natural solutions
VOC’s are the ‘Volatile Organic Compounds’
released into the atmosphere as a result of
numerous companies manufacturing processes
around the world. In a domestic capacity, we
all come into contact with VOC’s regularly,
for example; when you open a tin of paint
there is an unpleasant smell, this smell is mainly
composed of VOC’s. In Rexam’s Cosmetic
Closures business, VOC’s are emitted as a
result of our varnishing processes.
Although there are multiple options for VOC
reduction available to any business, many of
these require large amounts of energy to run
the equipment involved, thus actually increasing
energy usage and, as a result, other harmful
emissions. At Rexam we use several different
methods to treat VOC’s to try to ensure we emit
only cleansed air into the atmosphere. One of
the most ecologically friendly solutions is the
use of Peat Pits to absorb VOC’s prior to release.
Peat pits use a bio filtration system for the
treatment of any polluting gas emissions. The
process and equipment is described and
pictured to the right:
responsibility
case study
How does it work?
Firstly, the air that contains VOC’s is collected
using a network of specialised pipes that are
placed on the roof to drain the air from the
workshop below (see figure 1).
The main pipe (figure 2), then carries the
polluted air to the washing equipment.
The purpose of the washing equipment (figure
3) is to separate any hard particles from the
extracted air. The polluted air is then pushed
through a peat pit using a ventilator. (Figure
4 shows the 600 m3 peat pit whilst it was in
construction prior to the roof being fitted).
In the peat there are enzymes that ‘’eat’’ any
VOC’s thus destroying them before they can
enter into the atmosphere.
In 2001, Rexam received an award for this
equipment and process, which was the first of
this kind (for varnishing plastic parts for
cosmetics) to be installed in France.
Pictured below: The team responsible for the
peat pit project, holding the award presented
to them in October 2001.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4