Koppers announced today it will switch to using recycled water at its carbon black facility, Continental Carbon Australia, in Sydney and save 1.5 million litres of drinking water a day.
Continental Carbon Australia, a subsidiary of Koppers Inc, and its industrial neighbour Caltex will be sole joint users of six million litres of recycled water a day to be produced by a new plant which will process treated effluent extracted from Sydney Water facilities. Six million litres meets the needs of about 10,000 households a day.
The plant is to be built following the completion of a feasibility study in 2005 jointly commissioned by both companies together with Sydney Water Corporation and facilitated by the NSW Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability to evaluate options for a commercially attractive water recycling system. It will be built and operated as a joint venture between water treatment companies Burns and Roe Worley and United Utilities Australia and is expected to be completed by mid-2007, subject to final agreements and approvals.
“Water conservation is a significant component of our drive toward sustainable operations” Operation Superintendent Justin Merrell said. “Continental Carbon Australia has a long history of collaboration with the NSW Government to achieve cleaner production and positive environmental outcomes. Substituting practically all our demand with recycled water is the pinnacle of our efforts to date”.
Continental Carbon will replace 97% of its water demand with recycled water. This water will be used primarily for quenching and high pressure steam generation which in turn is supplied to Caltex. The overall process represents a clear demonstration of industries cooperating to minimise environmental impacts through significant energy and water conservation.
Continental Carbon would invest in infrastructure connecting the carbon black plant to the water recycling plant, including pipelines and control systems, with funding support to be provided through a grant from the NSW Government Water Savings Fund.
Continental Carbon Australia is a major supplier of oil furnace grade carbon blacks to the Australian Automotive, Tyre and Rubber industry. The plant which was commissioned in 1966 is located at Kurnell, Sydney Australia. It manufactures and markets a wide range of carbon blacks under the global brand name Continex and Platinum. The Continex and Platinum range is also used in the ink, paint and plastics industries. Continental Carbon operates a modern high tech plant certified to International Quality and Environmental standards.
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Richard Lyons
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