Explosives and blasting leader, Dyno Nobel has opened an $8 million tertiary abatement project at its Louisiana, Missouri, facility as part of an ongoing commitment to sustainability and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction.
The project is expected to reduce Dyno Nobel’s operational GHG by 30% against its 2020 baseline and the parent company, IPL’s, global operational GHG emissions by up to 19%, marking another important step of progress in the company’s goal of reducing its global footprint, it says.
This project, which began in late 2023 and is now live, will actively abate approximately 520,000 t of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions annually, the equivalent of taking over 125,000 vehicles off the road or planting more than 9 million trees. Over its anticipated 20-plus year lifespan, this project is expected to significantly reduce Scope 1 GHG emissions across the company’s operations and provide significant benefit to the surrounding community and region, Dyno Nobel says.
At a recent site visit to celebrate the opening, Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) CEO and Managing Director, Mauro Neves, said: “We are pleased to mark the opening of this cutting-edge project here in Louisiana, Missouri, which embodies Dyno Nobel’s ongoing commitment to investing in decarbonisation efforts that benefit our employees, customers and the region. This project is already working to deliver significant reductions to GHG emissions and support our valued customers nationwide.”
The tertiary abatement system works by converting nitrous oxide emissions from nitric acid manufacturing into naturally occurring nitrogen and oxygen, removing more than 95% of nitrous oxide emissions from the process of producing ammonium nitrate-based explosives products for the mining industry. The project is also expected to reduce Scope 3 GHG emissions by more than 1.7 t of carbon dioxide equivalent per metric tonne of ammonium nitrate for Dyno Nobel customers who are supplied product from this plant, according to the company.
Dyno Nobel Americas President, Greg Hayne, said: “This project is a testament to the vital investments we’re making in our Louisiana, Missouri, plant and the talent and dedication of our on-site team. Their expertise and commitment, combined with support from leading experts in GHG emissions abatement, made this project possible. We’re proud of this collaboration that has brought such an innovative project to life.”
This is one of several decarbonisation projects that provide Dyno Nobel with a pathway to a Paris-aligned 42% GHG reduction by 2030 against a 2020 baseline, supporting the company’s ambition to be net zero by 2050 or sooner, it says.