Waste
We systematically reduce the amount of waste, starting at the product design stage.
We have in place a circular economy and extended producer responsibility monitoring team, which participates in the design and manufacture of strategic products and materials. We also carry out research projects into commercial utilisation of by-products.
There is a programme of selective waste collection, including waste paper, plastics, wood, glass, spent batteries, as well as used electric and electronic equipment. Each waste collection operator we have engaged undertakes to manage or dispose of waste in compliance with the applicable environmental protection regulations. Waste collection and management agreements with third parties include provisions mandating them to provide feedback on how the waste is processed, allowing the Group to monitor that process. We also work with packaging recovery organisations and the Polish Chamber of Commerce to meet the appropriate targets applicable to recovery and recycling of packaging waste, including composite and hazardous materials. The Group companies comply with this obligation.
Waste data is monitored on an ongoing basis through the BDO waste registration system.
Grupa Azoty S.A.
Packaging of Grupa Azoty S.A. products is recycled in collaboration with a packaging recovery organisation and the Polish Chamber of Commerce. Used oils are managed by a specialist operator that regenerates them for reuse. Dry ash generated as waste during production processes is used by third-party companies as a construction material.
Grupa Azoty Puławy
Grupa Azoty Puławy monitors the amount of waste it has generated by keeping quantitative and qualitative records. It has implemented internal procedures to rigorously govern the company’s waste management process. Waste is stored selectively in an environmentally safe manner, and is transferred to specialist operators licensed to collect, recover or dispose of waste. The company operates based on an integrated pollution prevention and control permit which specifies, among other things, the type and volume of generated waste, the waste storage sites, as well as the type and volume of waste allowed for recovery or self-disposal.
The company’s products are sold in various types of packaging, including paper bags, plastic bags and big-bags. The company keeps a record of packaging it has placed on the market together with its products. It fulfils its domestic obligations under the Act on Packaging and Packaging Waste Management through agreements signed with a packaging recovery organisation and self-regulatory business organisation.
The company’s by-products include coal fly ash, as confirmed by a decision of the Marshal of the Province of Lublin.
In the reporting period, the company identified four material waste-related impacts, each concerning waste classified as non-hazardous:
- reduction of the volume of ash and slag mixtures stored by the company by transferring them for commercial use by third-party operators – the volume of waste transferred was 51,091.8 Mg,
- dewatering of sludge from the biological wastewater treatment plant, which can then be transferred to third parties for further use – the volume of sludge dewatered was 4,989.6 Mg,
- recommendations were formulated for the construction of a composting plant to help reduce internally-generated waste by 24,500 Mg,
- recycling of plastic packaging waste – the volume of waste recycled was 5.35 Mg.
Grupa Azoty Police
By-products generated by the company include hydrolytic acid, ash, slag and iron sulfate (II), as confirmed by decisions of the Marshal of the Province of Szczecin. Waste generated during the operation of production units that is not internally utilised is transferred exclusively to licensed third parties under contractual arrangements following assessment of the legal compliance status concerning waste management. The company’s operations are carried out in compliance with its integrated pollution prevention and control permit.
In the reporting period, Grupa Azoty Police identified two material waste-related impacts, in both cases defined as actual:
- reduction of hazardous waste generation by 3,068 Mg (own operations),
- recognition of waste as by-products (hydrolytic acid, iron sulfate (II), slag, bottom ash and boiler dust), which means that 3,325.70 Mg of waste can be diverted for further use.
Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn
The company holds a decision recognising fly ash generated at the fuel combustion unit as a by-product. It actively seeks customers to divert fly ash from disposal and reduces the volume of landfilled waste ash and slag mixtures by transferring them to external customers for commercial use.
Process by-products are used to recover useful components, which reduces waste volumes. Complementary activities include purchase of raw materials in reusable packaging.
Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn identified one material waste-related impact, i.e. reduction of the amount of waste landfilled at the company’s ash and slag mixture landfill site, classified as non-hazardous, by extracting waste from the landfill and transferring it for further processing (recovery). The volume of extracted mixtures was 30,250.7 Mg. Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn forged collaborations with operators licensed to collect or process ash and slag mixtures.
BEST PRACTICE
Waste management at our companies
- Grupa Azoty Compounding has commenced a project to expand its production and storage facility. The aim is to shred waste to sizes rendering it suitable for reuse.
- Grupa Azoty Police is building infrastructure for the processing and treatment of ferrous sulfate. The new facilities will enable commercial utilisation of the waste, significantly reducing waste storage volumes. The project is scheduled for completion in 2024.
- Grupa Azoty Fosfory collects and recycles ash from incineration of municipal sewage sludge. The ash is used to replace phosphate rock in the production process, reducing the consumption of natural resources.
- Grupa Azoty S.A. is building a unit for drying sludge from the wastewater treatment facility. The project will help reduce the amount of waste generated in the treatment of industrial wastewater, while eliminating odour impacts.
Waste generated by type (Mg)1
| Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | |
| Non-hazardous | 48,159 | 49,590 | 86,824 | 62,895 | 4,231,367 | 4,279,631 | 86,503 | 63,125 |
| Hazardous | 23 | 84 | 471 | 643 | 13,367 | 10,298 | 5,727 | 4,669 |
| Total | 48,182 | 49,674 | 87,295 | 63,538 | 4,244,734 | 4,289,930 | 92,230 | 67,794 |
1 The difference between the weight of waste generated and that transferred for recovery and/or disposal arises because some of the waste is recognised based on the volume in stock after the end of a year and is gradually processed in subsequent years (in accordance with the permitted storage time regulations).
The data on waste generated was collected based on records kept in the BDO system by direct waste producers at the Grupa Azoty Group.
Hazardous waste diverted from disposal, by recovery method and waste handling location (Mg)2
| Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste handling location | Waste recovery method | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 |
| On-site | Other recovery methods | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,274 | 599 | 0 | 0 |
| Directed to reuse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Directed to processing (recycling) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Off-site | Other recovery methods | 0.842 | 63 | 390 | 370 | 0.34 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| Directed to reuse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2,066 | 1,310 | |
| Directed to processing (recycling) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 155 | |
| Total | 0.842 | 63 | 390 | 370 | 1,274 | 599 | 2,078 | 1,466 | |
2 The data on waste diverted for recovery was collected based on records kept in the BDO system.
Non-hazardous waste diverted from disposal, by recovery method and waste handling location (Mg)
| Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste handling location | Waste recovery method | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 |
| On-site | Other recovery methods | 0 | 0 | 142 | 5 | 332,963 | 350,750 | 0 | 0 |
| Directed to reuse | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Directed to processing (recycling) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Off-site | Other recovery methods | 18,979 | 23,408 | 65,1133 | 58,618 | 105,013 | 100,119 | 523 | 38 |
| Directed to reuse | 22,685 | 26,433 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74,595 | 4,312 | |
| Directed to processing (recycling) | 537 | 470 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,510 | 58,934 | |
| Total | 42,201 | 50,311 | 65,255 | 58,623 | 437,976 | 450,869 | 76,628 | 63,284 | |
3 Grupa Azoty Puławy receives relevant waste management information (whether on a recovery (R) or disposal (D) process) from third parties. Therefore, this value relates to the total volume of all waste diverted for recovery, including recycling.
Hazardous waste diverted from disposal (Mg)4
Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
63 | 370 | 599 | 1,466 | 2,498 |
4 Grupa Azoty S.A.: Waste codes: 16 08 02, 16 06 01; Grupa Azoty Puławy: Waste codes: 07 01 08, 13 02 05, 15 01 10, 15 02 02, 16 02 11, 16 02 13, 16 02 09 do 16 02 12, 16 07 08, 16 08 02, 19 08 10, 19 08 09; Grupa Azoty Police: Waste codes: 06 01 06, 16 08 02; Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn: Waste codes: 07 01 08, 15 01 10, 16 02 11, 16 02 13, 16 05 04, 16 05 06, 16 06 01, 16 08 02, 17 04 10.
Non-hazardous waste diverted from disposal (Mg)5
Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46,978 | 58,623 | 346,676 | 63,284 | 515,561 |
5 Grupa Azoty S.A.: Waste codes: 10 01 02, 10 01 15, 10 01 14, 19 08 12, 19 08 14; Grupa Azoty Puławy: Waste codes: 06 10 99, 10 01 80 ,10 01 81, 15 01 01, 15 01 02, 15 01 02, 15 01 03, 15 01 04, 15 02 03, 15 02 02, 16 02 14, 16 02 09 do 16 02 13, 16 03 04, 16 03 03, 16 03 80, 16 08 01, 16 08 03, 16 08 02, 17 02 01, 17 04 02, 17 04 05, 19 08 01, 19 08 12, 19 08 11, 19 12 01; Grupa Azoty Police: Waste codes: 06 03 14, 06 05 03, 06 11 83, 17 01 07, 17 05 04; Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn: Waste codes: 10 01 01, 10 01 02, 10 01 80, 10 01 82, 15 01 01, 15 01 02, 15 01 03, 15 02 03, 16 02 14, 16 02 16, 16 06 04, 16 08 01, 16 08 03, 16 80 01, 17 01 03, 17 02 01, 17 02 03, 17 04 01, 17 04 02, 17 04 05, 17 04 07, 17 04 11, 20 01 01, 20 01 02, 20 01 39, 20 01 40, 20 03 07
Hazardous and non-hazardous waste directed to disposal, by disposal method and waste handling location (Mg)6
| Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste handling location | Disposal method | Hazardous waste | Non-hazardous waste | Hazardous waste | Non-hazardous waste | Hazardous waste | Non-hazardous waste | Hazardous waste | Non-hazardous waste | ||||||||
| 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | 2021 | 2022 | ||
| On-site | Other waste disposal methods | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22,518 | 10,666 | 12,044 | 9,699 | 3,790,392 | 2,578,248 | 0 | 0 | 9,728 | 0 |
| Landfilling | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1,310,067 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Off-site | Other waste storage methods | 0 | 19 | 0 | 18 | 39 | 173 | 10 | 6 | 0.622 | 0 | 22,367 | 148 | 3,236 | 2,743 | 149 | 510 |
| Landfilling | 0 | 0 | 5,793 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Incineration without energy recovery | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Incineration with energy recovery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 488 | 0 | 0 | 358 | 488.5 | 0 | 146 | |
| Total | 22 | 19 | 5,794 | 18 | 39 | 173 | 22,528 | 10,672 | 12,045 | 10,187 | 3,812,759 | 2,578,396 | 3,594 | 3,231 | 9,877 | 656 | |
6 The data on waste directed to disposal was collected based on records kept in the BDO system.
Hazardous waste directed to disposal (Mg)7
Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 173 | 9,699 | 3,231 | 13,122 |
7 Grupa Azoty S.A.: Waste codes: 15 01 10, 16 07 09, 16 05 06, 16 05 08; Grupa Azoty Puławy: Waste codes: 08 01 11, 09 01 01, 16 03 03, 16 08 02, 16 05 08, 17 06 01, 16 05 08; Grupa Azoty Police: Waste code: 06 01 01; Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn: Waste codes: 06 13 02, 07 01 10, 15 02 02, 16 05 07, 16 05 08, 16 07 09, 19 08 11, 19 08 13.
Non-hazardous waste directed to disposal (Mg)8
Grupa Azoty S.A. | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | 10,672 | 3,887,847 | 656 | 3,899,175 |
8 Grupa Azoty S.A.: Waste codes: 5 02 03, 15 02 02, 16 02 16, 15 01 06; Grupa Azoty Puławy: Waste codes: 17 01 03, 17 01 03, 19 09 03; Grupa Azoty Police: Waste codes: 06 03 14, 06 09 81, 06 11 83, 06 11 99, 17 01 07, 07 01 80, 16 07 99, 19 09 06; Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn: Waste codes: 19 08 01, 19 08 02, 19 09 01, 20 03 01.
Percentage of reclaimed products and their packaging materials (by type of material) (%) 9
| Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN | Grupa Azoty POLICE | Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY | Grupa Azoty S.A. | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2021 | |
| Wood | 16 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 19 |
| Paper and cardboard | 61 | 66 | 61 | 66 | 59.8 | 66 | 61 | 66 |
| Packaging that held hazardous substances 10 | 53 | 36 | 53.2 | 36 | 53.2 | 36.20 | 0 | 0 |
| Steel and sheet steel | 51 | 55 | 51 | 55 | 51 | 0 | 51 | 55 |
| Plastic | 23.5 | 30 | 23.5 | 30 | 23.5 | 30 | 23.5 | 30 |
| Composite packaging | 43.8 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
9 The percentage was determined pursuant to Art. 20.2 of the Act on Packaging and Packaging Waste Management. The level of packaging waste recycling in a calendar year is expressed as a percentage equal to the quotient of the weight of packaging waste recycled in that year and the weight of packaging placed on the market in the previous calendar year. The data was collected based on information from the recovery organisations engaged by the Grupa Azoty Group and from reports prepared for the BDO system.
10 As of January 1st 2022, following amendments to the Waste Act enacted on November 17th 2021, companies are no longer required to report the volume of waste diverted for recovery. The presented data pertains only to recycling, which accounts for the decrease in the percentage compared with 2021.
