Insights

Lotte Chemical, based in Seoul, South Korea, is one of the world’s largest chemical companies. It manufactures synthetic resins and other chemical products used in materials such as polystyrene, a versatile plastic commonly used in food packaging, appliances, toys and other goods.

To help ensure process integrity, safe transport and storage of the products it manufactures at its Daesan plant, Lotte Chemical was using a polymerization inhibitor (chemical compounds that help stabilize the manufacturing process) paired with DNBP, a chemistry that slows down chemical reactions.

DNBP is a highly toxic, hazardous chemical that produces nitrogen oxides (NOx) when incinerated, which contributes to air pollution. The use of DNBP has been restricted by many regulatory bodies, including the Ministry of Environment in Korea. As part of its efforts to create a better more sustainable future, Lotte Chemical wanted to replace DNBP with a safer, less toxic solution.

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The company chose a more sustainable solution – the dual-component PRISM™ antifoulant program developed by Nalco Water, Ecolab’s water and process management business.

Testing and a rigorous technical evaluation demonstrated that the Nalco Water solution performed as well as DNBP with a significant reduction in NOx. As a result, Lotte Chemical implemented the antifoulant program to help protect critical assets and increase the efficiency of its manufacturing process.

Outcomes

In addition to the environmental benefits that resulted from the switch to the Nalco Water program, Lotte Chemical avoided a large capital expenditure that would have been required to meet the stronger emission standards being set for DNBP use by the Korean Ministry of Environment. Additionally, it enhanced operational efficiency by substantially reducing the need for urea, a raw material used in chemistry manufacturing processes.

Ultimately, the new approach helped Lotte Chemical reduce costs, pursue a more sustainable solution, and enhance plant and operator safety.