BOC Report and accounts 2005 - Alle jaarverslagen

Social, environmental and ethical performance 33
Product stewardship programmes minimise the environmental impact arising from the manufacture of BOC’s
products and their ensuing use by customers. Growing concern about the environment and climate change has led
to increased legislation, which presents BOC with potential business opportunities, such as:
• BOC has formed a partnership with the Morgan Motor Company to develop LIFECar, the world’s first
hydrogen powered sports car.The hydrogen fuel cell produces electric energy, powering four separate electric
motors, one at each wheel.The only waste product is water.
• BOC has signed a ten-year agreement with Biofuels Corporation in the UK to supply nitrogen and
compressed air used in the production of environmentally friendly biodiesel.
• BOC and Dabbrook Services have combined solar power and hydrogen fuel cell technologies to develop an
eco-friendly water management system for the Environment Agency in the UK.
• BOC has signed several contracts in the US to supply oil refineries with hydrogen for producing cleaner fuels.
Hydrotreating meets the US Environment Agency’s requirements for lower-sulphur gasoline and diesel fuels.
• BOC and Cellex Power Products, Canada, are jointly developing hydrogen supply solutions to power forklift
trucks used in large distribution warehouses in north America.
• BOC and the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) have
developed an environmentally safe fumigant to replace methyl bromide in the treatment of soil, pests, weeds
and crop diseases.
• BOC is helping to cut the rate of ozone depleting emissions across the building sector with the introduction
of Ecomate ® , an environmentally friendly foam blowing agent.
Commitment to the environment
The UK-based BOC Foundation for the Environment, established with an initial injection of £1 million in 1990,
continues to fund air and water quality projects. New and ongoing projects include: a review of roadside emissions
testing; development of liquid petroleum gas ‘clean’ fuel cell technology; a new oxidation technique for
pharmaceutical toxic waste; an evaluation of photovoltaics for solar power; research into the impact of electrical
and electronic hazardous waste; and a programme to develop low cost electrolysers in support of the hydrogen
economy.
This year, the Group contributed £385,000 to the Foundation and approved new awards totalling £674,000,
bringing the total combined funding to date from BOC and its co-sponsoring partners to £15 million.
BOC joined forces with the North East Process Industry Cluster (NEPIC) to launch an environment award
for schools in the north east of England. Pupils are invited to submit practical ideas on environmental issues ranging
from recycling to preservation of air and water resources.
In other parts of the world, notable contributions were made to environmental initiatives in New Zealand and
Australia. BOC’s ‘Where There’s Water’ community environment grants programme in New Zealand, which has
awarded 45 grants throughout the country since its inception three years ago, awarded £13,000 in grants, mainly
to schools undertaking water conservation projects. In Australia, BOC donated ten hectares of land at its Wagga
Wagga operations centre to Greenfleet, a non-profit organisation that reduces the environmental impact of carbon
dioxide emissions by planting trees. BOC volunteers helped local schoolchildren to plant ten thousand trees on
the site.
Commitment to education
BOC continues to support educational programmes in local communities through school tours, lessons in the
properties of gases, health and safety briefings, careers advice, technical support and academic research.
BOC’s Inspiring Gases education programme made further progress in terms of educational posters and
CDs, in addition to development of the web site at boc.com/education.The programme, designed to complement
the school chemistry syllabus and to stimulate young people’s interest in science, is being run in co-operation with
the Royal Society of Chemistry.This year, BOC’s UK-wide network of science ambassadors staged a spectacular
new show called ‘It’s a Gas’. Staged at the Glasgow Science Centre to coincide with the 7th Institution of Chemical
Engineers World Congress, the show demonstrated the properties and applications of gases with plenty of flashes,
bangs and vapour clouds to appeal to young audiences. Its run was extended to the end of the school summer
holidays because of its popularity.
Other educational activities in the UK included the BOC Gases Challenge, designed to encourage secondary
school students to develop chemical engineering ideas and won in its 24th year by a team of pupils from Royal
Russell School in Croydon. For the fifth year, BOC sponsored the Science, Engineering and Technology Student of
the Year Awards, held at the Guildhall in London.The winner, a chemical engineering graduate undertaking a PhD,
received £500 and £500 was also donated to Loughborough University for his work on the engineering of artificial
blood for transfusions. BOC supports a range of education bodies and initiatives including:The Council for Industry
and Higher Education;The Salters’ Festival of Chemistry;The Institute of Chemical Engineers environment award;
Surrey County Council’s young entrepreneur scheme; Surrey Scholars Club; the Industrial Trust’s Open Industry
programme: SETPOINT and Surrey SATRO.