Preserving the Environment
Sustainability: a word that is in the mind of those who are concerned with the environment and with the future of the planet. At Petrobras, environmental responsibility is part of our mission, and it is deeply connected to the business. We work, today, to ensure a sustainable future for the next generations.
But is it actually possible to explore and produce oil with respect for the environment? We have proved it is. In addition to supporting environmental projects, we are the first to give examples of sustainable actions.
Our focus is on ecoefficiency. To us, it does not suffice to produce, refine and distribute oil within the strictest safety standards. With rational water and energy use, in association with the generation of the least possible amounts of effluents, residues and emissions at all of our units, we reduce our impact on the environment and reinforce our commitment to pursuing excellence in our operations.
The Capuava Refinery, in São Paulo, is a concrete example of water reuse; it is the first unit with zero effluent disposal. Nearly all of our units around the world are ISO 14001
(relative to the environment) and BS 8800 (relative to safety and health) certified.
The Maximum Admissible Limit (MAL) for hazardous solid residue generation in our processes is another practical action in environmental responsibility, as is monitoring atmospheric emissions. From 2008 to 2015, our target is to avoid the emissions of 29.7 million tons of CO2.
The Environmental Defense Centers (EDCs) are also part our commitment to environmental safety, as they ensure top protection for our operating units in the event of an emergency. Located at strategic points of operation, the EDCs complement the existing local contingency plans in force at the terminals, refineries, and other Company units.