Kumho Petrochemical Group is focusing its efforts on enhancing the management system for the environment and safety sectors. Since last year, it has been increasing access to information related to safety and the environment by including integrated data on safety and environmental issues for each affiliate in the Kumho Petrochemical Sustainability Management Report.
According to Kumho Petrochemical Group on the 20th, major affiliates such as Kumho Petrochemical, Kumho P&B Chemical, Kumho Mitsui Chemical, Kumho Polychem, Kumho T&L, and Kumho Resort have formed a group Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) consultative body to share the status of safety and environmental management at each company and to review common strategic direction.
First, Kumho P&B Chemical has strengthened monitoring of odor-causing substances and air pollutants through investments in environmental management facilities at its establishments. A wet scrubber has been installed to reduce odor-causing substances emitted from the wastewater treatment plant at the Yeosu Plant 1. A heat monitoring system to prevent incomplete combustion of exhaust gases is being established for flare stacks at the Yeosu Plants 1 and 2.
Kumho Mitsui Chemical has introduced a raw material recycling process during the expansion of Plant 2. In the second half of this year, the completion of the wastewater recycling process is expected to allow for the recovery and extraction of organic materials from wastewater to be reused as raw materials for product production. It is anticipated that this will also reduce water pollutants in the wastewater.
Kumho Polychem is establishing a Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) management system to minimize volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odor emission sources. It plans to complete the system by next year. The goal is to identify the environmental impact of key products and, based on this, to formulate an environmental strategy to fulfill its role as an environmentally friendly corporation.
Kumho Petrochemical is reinforcing its smart safety equipment-based safety and environmental system at its establishments in Yeosu and Ulsan. It plans to install AI CCTV, an artificial intelligence-based security camera, at high-risk locations in workplaces to detect fires, gas leaks, unusual behavior of workers, or the compliance of protective equipment usage. The introduction of worker-worn devices such as smart helmets and wearable cameras is also under consideration.
Kumho Polychem aims to discover harmful and risky factors and assess risks to lower the danger levels at work sites. Monthly safety and environmental meetings composed of practical staff are held to enhance awareness of safety through checking the safety and environmental conditions of establishments and management standards. Safety experience training is conducted for all factory employees, focusing on different types of disasters.
Kumho Mitsui Chemical is striving to ensure safety for the commercial operation of its new Plant 2, based on the existing safety and health management system to prevent serious accidents. A 'risk assessment for commissioning work' is conducted for all tasks performed during the commissioning phase of Plant 2 to identify and improve any harmful risk factors that might be overlooked. Safety personnel have been increased to eliminate unsafe elements for each task.
Kumho P&B Chemical works hard to establish a safety culture under the slogan that the highest value at its establishments is 'safety.' Since last year, it has been promoting activities to preemptively eliminate potential hazardous factors through risk assessments and consolidating safety check meetings before work. In particular, during periods with a high risk of safety accidents, the company is focusing on safety culture campaigns and safety meetings with construction partners to ensure the establishment of a safety culture.