waste management

ExxonMobil uses a tiered approach to reduce both hazardous and nonhazardous waste. We first work to reduce waste at its source. If the waste is not fully eliminated, we recycle or reuse materials where possible. Any remaining waste is either treated to render it nonhazardous or disposed of in compliance with local regulations. For example, at our LaGrange films plant in Georgia, we developed a new method for cleaning equipment that eliminated 90 percent of the hazardous waste generated and also significantly reduced the costs associated with the handling and disposal of these wastes. Additionally, ExxonMobil Development Company developed an Environmental Standard for waste management for use in the design of major upstream projects. This Standard establishes project planning and full-cycle waste management requirements.

Over the last five years, we successfully reused or recycled on average about 40 percent of the hazardous waste generated. The amount of hazardous waste for disposal decreased by more than 50 percent from 2004 to 2007. Our total hazardous waste disposed in 2007 was 168,000 metric tons, about 30 percent less than in 2006.