With its thermal oxidizer, the Caudebec plant captures 99% of VOCs 22 discharged by the textile spreaders and incinerates them.

Carbon and Nomex® honeycomb used for the lay-up of composite pieces to strengthen their resistance and ensure minimum weight. Outcome: the weight of the aircraft, fuel use and CO² emissions are reduced.

Initial assessment of greenhouse gas emissions

In 2012, Zodiac Aerospace completed the first assessment of direct²³ and indirect²⁴ greenhouse gas emissions of the Group, and has published the results in France for companies with more than 500 employees in accordance with the Grenelle de I'Environnement. Objectives: for each activity, identify the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions and the levers to reduce emissions, define the actions and expected impacts, calculate the real gains observed. Each company establishes actions plan, focusing in particular on the optimization of heating, lighting, offices and processes, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions related to scopes 1 and 2, which represent 110,000 tons of CO₂ for the Group. At the same time, a methodology was defined to account for emissions of scope 3: 40% of Group sites have carried out this complex exercise that provides an initial mapping of emission positions.

Initiatives to reduce industrial waste

Regularly inspected, industrial atmospheric waste from plants is channeled and treated, if necessary (filtering, washing, etc.). In accordance with the permits issued by the authorities, they are not considered by the authorities to be a risk to the environment. However, initiatives are underway to: replace solvents with detergents, less volatile solvents or water-based processes, and limit diffuse emissions. In France, the Caudebec plant is equipped with a thermal oxidizer that captures 99% of VOCs²² discharged by the textile

²² Volatile organic compounds

²³ Scope 1 of the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Protocol: direct emissions from stationary and mobile sources, held or owned by the company

²⁴ Scope 2 of the GHG Protocol: emissions related to purchased electricity. Scope 3 of the GHG Protocol: all other emissions produced indirectly by the activities or the exercise of powers of the company and which are not recorded in scopes 1 and 2

84 • TRAVEL JOURNAL 2012 • 2013