Site remains on track to start up equipment in early 2021 in line with EPA agreement despite Hurricane Barry flooding in 2019 and coronavirus epidemic in 2020
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 26, 2020--
Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT), the first carbon black producer to collaborate with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in connection with the EPA’s national enforcement initiative to control air emissions from carbon black manufacturing facilities, today announced a significant milestone in its project in Franklin, Louisiana, USA. As of June 2020, all major emission control equipment has been received and placed into final position on site. The project has completed 90% of the estimated person-hours required and remains on track to finish ahead of the industry’s April 2021 EPA deadline.
“We are proud of our continued leadership in cleaner air emissions across the world and the significant investment we are making in Louisiana, and even more so that we have been able to continue to progress despite the challenges caused by Hurricane Barry and COVID-19,” explained Bart Kalkstein, President, Reinforcement Materials Segment, and President, Americas Region. “Our deep experience deploying best-in-class pollution control technologies at sites all across our global network gives us a clear understanding of the technical, operational and patent landscape. We are leveraging this experience to assure successful implementation of proven technologies in Louisiana, unhindered by operational or intellectual property concerns.”
At the Franklin plant, Cabot will reduce NOX emissions by 90% through the use of selective catalytic control and SO2 emissions by 95% using wet gas scrubbing. These robust and well-established technologies are in use today at several of Cabot’s sites across the world. Applying its best practices of these technologies, these systems will reduce the annual emissions of NOX and SO2 by nearly 900 and 6,500 tons per year, respectively, at its Franklin plant.
The equipment placement milestone and other progress at the Franklin site build on Cabot’s earlier success with another emissions control project at its facility in Pampa, Texas. That work was completed in 2017 and has reduced NOX emissions by 67%, eliminating nearly 1,500 tons of emissions over the last three years.
“We remain committed to acting responsibly for the planet, and part of this includes doing our part to upgrade older facilities with investments in new technology,” noted Kalkstein. “We are proud of our ability to implement these controls while continuing to provide our customers with a consistent supply of carbon black, and we will continue to work diligently to project completion. Safety continues to be our number one priority on site with a particular focus on COVID-19 prevention controls to ensure the well-being of our employees and contractors. We want to thank our employees and contractors who have worked extremely well through a very challenging period to not only complete the project on schedule but to do so safely.”
For more information on Cabot’s commitment to safety, health and environmental excellence, visit cabotcorp.com/sustainability.
About Cabot Corporation
Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) is a global specialty chemicals and performance materials company, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company is a leading provider of rubber and specialty carbons, activated carbon, inkjet colorants, masterbatches and conductive compounds, fumed silica and aerogel. For more information on Cabot, please visit the company’s website at cabotcorp.com.
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MEDIA CONTACT
Erin Anthony, Corporate Communications
erin.anthony@cabotcorp.com
+1.617.342.6257
Steve Delahunt, Investor Relations
steve.delahunt@cabotcorp.com
+1.617.342.6255
Source: Cabot Corporation
