PPG targets reduced greenhouse gases

PPG announced that it has committed to setting near-term company-wide emission reductions in line with climate science through the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), which is an organization that helps companies define their decarbonization strategy and reduce the impacts of climate change.

PPG has an existing goal to reduce GHG emissions intensity by 15% by 2025 from a 2017 baseline, achieving a 9.7% reduction in 2021.

“In this critical moment for climate change, we are committed to further evaluating and reducing emissions throughout our value chain,” said Diane Kappas, PPG vice president, global sustainability.

The company said it has long reported emissions intensity from its own operations, Scope 1 emissions, and purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling, Scope 2 emissions, and plans to unveil its new 2030 goals over the coming months.

Moving forward, PPG is prioritizing evaluating indirect emissions that are from sources outside of the organization that PPG does not own or control, including raw materials, use of sold products, and product end-of-life, Scope 3 emissions.

“We are working across our organization to define additional actions we can take to help prevent the earth from warming more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Following our validation work with SBTi and an emissions analysis, we intend to announce new, aggressive 2030 goals that will define our decarbonization strategy to help protect the planet for current and future generations,” said Kappas.

PPG also released its 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Report, which details advancements in its sustainable innovations, board governance of ESG, efforts to reach its 2025 sustainability goals. Some of the key highlights included:

• Introduced PPG ErgoLuxe powder coatings, which offer first-pass transfer efficiency rates of up to 85% and the ability to reuse overspray. PPG ErgoLuxe Eco contains up to 13% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). Since 2017, PPG has used more than 6 million pounds of rPET to manufacture its coatings.
• Launched Comex Top paint by PPG, which contributes to the circular economy by incorporating recycled tires, saving more than 270,000 tires from landfills since the product was introduced in 2021. The product is intended for application on roofs and provides thermal insulation, resulting in emissions reduction through energy savings.
• Implemented the Zero Discharge Project at architectural coatings facilities in the U.S. and Canada, enabling PPG to recycle and reuse more than 1.7 million gallons of water in its manufacturing process over the past two years.

“Sustainability is at the heart of our purpose to protect and beautify the world,” said Kappas. “While we are proud of our achievements, we recognize that now is the time for further action. We look forward to unveiling science-based targets as we complete the validation process.”

Headquartered in Pittsburgh, PPG operates and innovates in more than 75 countries.