Environmental Sustainability
To what extent is WashTec aware of the effects of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mecha- nism (CBAM)? Are you already taking steps to adapt to it?
We have reviewed the impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and determined that it is not applicable to WashTec. Our production sites in Europe are supplied from Europe.
There is currently no discernible impact on WashTec’s activities, as the products and services we have identified are attributable to electricity (procurement of green electricity) and to iron, steel and aluminum, all of which are sourced 100% from Europe.
Will WashTec also provide information on returns of end-of-life equipement from countries other than Germany, Austria and France, with regard to hazardous waste?
Only the chemical canisters are hazardous waste. End-of-life equipment is not. Most of it (over 90%) is recyclable. Customers can have end-of-life equipment disposed of through WashTec.
We are looking into the publication of tonnages for the recycling of end-of-life equipment beyond the markets covered so far.
Have you already carried out an external energy audit to identify scope for improvement?
In addition to the regular audits under ISO 50001, we carried out an external energy audit in Augsburg in 2019 and in France in 2020.
We identified additional scope for energy savings in individual instances and incorporated them into our environmental and energy strategy.
What caused the increase in fuels in 2022?
In the first year after the pandemic, our service employees have reestablished close contact with customers, and this is reflected in an increase in the number of kilometers driven. However, WashTec also looks at the change over time since 2019. The 2022 figures show a 7.3% decline against this baseline.
What measures in the Environment and Energy Roadmap 2025 contribute most towards WashTec’s targets?
The most important measures for achieving WashTec’s reduction target are the conversion of heating systems, infrastructure modernization, electrification of the vehicle fleet and the switch to green electricity.
What is the timetable for the transition to green energy at the production sites outside Germany?
For the site in the Czech Republic, we plan to install a solar power system in 2024/25. This will allow us to reduce the quantity of purchased electricity and use green power. We are currently unable to obtain green electricity from the electricity provider at our sites in the USA and China. We are looking into the installation of solar power at our US site.
Can you provide an update on the timeline for the assessment of all Scope 3 categories other than air travel, as these are relevant to CSRD compliance?
We have already gathered some data on Scope 3 emissions and will continue to add to this through 2024/2025. In particular, we are currently looking at whether we can measure the carbon footprint for production inputs such as steel and chemicals. We are not yet able to give a timeline here.
