While sustainable forest management (FSC or PEFC) is the best tool available to ensure a reasonable exploitation of timber, these certifications aren’t perfect.

Hydrogen is required to produce ammonia, for example, an important material in many plastic production processes.The benefit of water electrolysis is that it uses 7.5% less electricity than other methods.

‘Black hydrogen’ is hydrogen produced using natural gas (methane) that is reacted with steam in a steam reformer, and ‘blue hydrogen’ uses carbon capture during the same process to reuse some of the carbon.Even with carbon capture, blue hydrogen still uses fossil fuels, so in some instances carbon capture needs to be used effectively.It isn’t a blanket fix for every process..

Even though CCU is currently at a low TRL, as funding comes in and progress is made, the development of this method, in conjunction with water electrolysis, would see greater reductions in industry electricity usage to perform these reactions and, therefore, greater reductions in GHG emissions..Even with all the progress into modern renewable power, including wind, solar, biomass, geothermal and ocean power, these only account for 1.7% of global final energy demand.

To reduce our CO. 2. emissions correctly, industrial plastics production would ideally be designed with sustainable electricity production in mind to power their production in conjunction with CCU to reduce the carbon footprint further.. Reducing Our Carbon Footprint.

We know we have a long way to go in our efforts to negate climate change and, as discussed, the benefits of carbon capture when used effectively will have a significant impact on the footprint of the plastics industry.We’re all colleagues and we’re encouraged to go out there and be proactive.'.

KELSEY PATERSON, INTERMEDIATE ENGINEER, MECHANICAL & ELECTRICAL.'I’m a mechanical engineer.

I work on building services.. We design heating, air conditioning & ventilation for all the buildings that we work on.I enjoy the challenge.