Reducing Environmental Impact

Pollution Reduction

Waste collection and transportation

ECOVE Waste Management Corp.'s main pollution comes from the emissions of its waste transportation vehicles. To control related pollution operations, ECOVE Waste Management Corp. has implemented an environmental management system (ISO 14001). Through optimal route planning and the establishment of a paperless dispatch system, ECOVE Waste Management Corp. achieves the effectiveness of reducing pollution and resource consumption. Currently, there are a total of 25 of waste transportation vehicles. Since 2012, ECOVE Waste Management Corp. has been gradually purchasing Euro 5 vehicles. Starting from 2022, the focus is on the Euro 6 vehicles. In the future, evaluations will be conducted for the purchase of clean energy vehicles based on international decarbonization trends and technological developments. By the end of 2022, ECOVE Waste Management Corp. has purchased 17 vehicles for the Euro 5 and 2 vehicles for the Euro 6. It is projected that 3 Euro 6 vehicles will be purchased in 2023. Based on statistics, the fuel consumption of Euro 5 and Euro 6 vehicles operated by ECOVE Waste Management Corp. accounted for 87% of the total fuel consumption in the year. The estimated reduction in black smoke emissions is 35%.

Waste incineration

To mitigate the environmental impact caused by air pollutant emissions, ECOVE Environment Service Corp.'s incineration plants have implemented an environmental management system (ISO 14001) and installed a continuous emission monitoring system. The monitoring system tracks seven parameters, including exhaust gas flow rate, oxygen content, sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, and opacity. It operates 24/7 to ensure continuous monitoring and control. The information from the continuous emission monitoring system is promptly uploaded to the Environmental Protection Administration's website ❻ , enabling real-time access and transparency. The online query service is available for all eight operating large-scale incineration plants. In addition, regular on-site inspections are conducted on a monthly or quarterly basis to assess various parameters including sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, hydrogen chloride, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, heavy metals, and dioxins. The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) imposes air pollution fees specifically for sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, volatile organic compounds, particulate matter, heavy metals, and dioxins emitted from fixed pollution sources. However, for the purpose of this report, only the air pollution fees for sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds are included, as the emissions of particulate matter, heavy metals, and dioxins are relatively small in comparison. Due to the lower emission concentrations of sulfur oxides and volatile organic pollutants, only the emissions of nitrogen oxides are included in the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) monitoring. In 2022, the nitrogen oxide emission intensity was 0.93 kilograms per metric ton of waste. The target for 2023 is to further reduce the emission intensity to 0.92 kilograms per metric ton of waste.

❻ https://swims.epa.gov.tw/Statistics/Statistics_AirMonitor.aspx
▼ Pollutant emission intensity (kilograms per metric ton of waste)

▼ Introduction of Environmental Management System (ISO 14001) in ECOVE Environment Service Corp. Operation Management's Incineration Plants (Using Keelung Plant and Xizhou Plant as examples)

With ECOVE Environment Service Corp.'s expertise, waste is highly utilized, and comprehensive control measures are implemented to manage emissions of various pollutants. In 2022, the unit urea (or ammonia) consumption in the eight existing large-scale incineration plants has increased compared to the past four years. This is primarily in response to the Environmental Protection Administration's (EPA) air pollution reduction targets for the year 2024. To achieve the goal of reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, measures such as increasing the unit urea (or ammonia) consumption (used in selective non-catalytic reduction systems, SNCR) or optimizing the efficiency of the SNCR system are adopted. ECOVE Environment Service Corp. is committed to continuously improving the air pollution control system. This includes updating the SNCR system, improving urea injection locations, and enhancing atomization effects to achieve both air pollution reduction and a decrease in urea (or ammonia) usage. In 2022, the unit lime consumption for waste treatment slightly decreased compared to 2021. Slacked lime is used to enhance the mixing process of waste, stabilize the characteristics of waste, and increase its calorific value. ECOVE Environment Service Corp. is continuously exploring ways to improve the efficiency of acid removal agents or adjust process parameters to enhance the efficiency of chemical usage. The aim is to reduce the consumption of chemicals per ton of waste treated.
▼ Amount of chemicals and slaked lime used at the incineration plants

Energy and Resource Conservation

Operational Headquarters

The primary sources of carbon emissions at ECOVE's operational headquarters are fuel consumption from the Company vehicles and electricity usage in the office. We have set 2022 as the base year and have planned to achieve net-zero carbon emissions at our operational headquarters by 2030. Our short- term goal is to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 carbon emissions by 20% by 2024, while our mid-term goal is to achieve a 40% reduction by 2026. In August 2021, ECOVE relocated to the second headquarters of its parent company, CTCI. The office building is a smart, diamond-rated green building. In 2022, the total electricity consumption at the headquarters was 241,700 kilowatt-hours. Through energy-savin campaigns, adjusting the temperature of the server room air conditioning, reducing lighting in inefficiently lit areas, and optimizing smart energy-saving schedules, the electricity consumption decreased significantly by 25% compared to the period after moving in 2021 (August to December). The Energy Use Intensity (EUI) at the headquarters in 2022 was 99.17 kWh per square meter, with an emission intensity of 1.21 metric tons of CO2e per person.

Currently, ECOVE has fully adopted hybrid vehicles for its fleet of official cars and plans to gradually replace them with electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions and pollution. Additionally, ECOVE has a plan to start purchasing 20% green electricity by 2024 and increase it to 40% by 2026. By the year 2030, the entire operational headquarters will be powered by green electricity. In addition, ECOVE also responds to the government's green office initiatives by implementing five major indicators and 35 measures, including energy resource conservation, waste reduction at the source, green procurement, environmental greening, and advocacy and promotion. ECOVE has adopted 30 of these measures, demonstrating its commitment to making a positive impact on the environment.

Waste collection and transportation

ECOVE Waste Management Corp. waste management's average fuel consumption was 167.3 kiloliters per 500,000 kilometer. The carbon dioxide emission intensity (Scope 1 and Scope 2 total carbon emissions) amounts to 454.898 metric tons of CO2e. To address fuel consumption and carbon emissions from waste transportation vehicles, ECOVE Waste Management Corp. has developed short, medium, and long-term plans based on the reference year of 2022. The organization aims to reduce emission intensity by 15% by 2026, 30% by 2030, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. In the short term, ECOVE Waste Management Corp. plans to actively update its waste transportation vehicles to the latest environmentally friendly models. Garbage compression vehicles will be gradually replaced with hybrid or electric-powered vehicles, which can reduce fuel consumption by over 30% per vehicle.

Waste incineration

ECOVE actively introduces the green technologies of the Group to continuously improve energy efficiency and resource conservation in its operational incineration plants. In 2022, a total of 15 energy/resource-saving initiatives were implemented, including the replacement of energy-efficient lighting fixtures for internal lighting, retrofitting energy-efficient lighting fixtures during annual maintenance, installation of variable frequency drives for large fans, replacement of air condenser fans with FRP materials, upgrading of air compressors, and improvement of furnace beds, among others. Through the aforementioned energy-saving measures, a total reduction of approximately 4,610 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent was achieved in 2022. This reduction includes a decrease in electricity consumption by 6,853,000 kilowatt-hours, an increase in power generation by 2,125,000 kilowatt-hours, a decrease in diesel consumption by 10 kiloliters, and a reduction in water usage by 9,384 metric tons. At the Ganshan plant, the improvement of the furnace bed has effectively addressed the long-standing issue of sinter accumulation. Each furnace can potentially save up to 2.2 metric tons of high-pressure steam consumption per hour. This improvement results in an annual carbon reduction of 540 metric tons of CO2e and a water saving of 53,000 metric tons. At the Xizhou plant, energy-efficient amorphous transformers have been selected, resulting in a significant 60% reduction in transformer energy consumption. This improvement project has received recognition from the Changhua County Government for its contribution to green procurement practices.
▼ 2022 Energy Saving Implementation Plan

Recycling and reuse

ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corp. has implemented an environmental management system (ISO 14001) and continuously introduces green technologies. In 2022, the company upgraded the capacity of the feed heat exchanger, resulting in an annual saving of 8,780 natural gas units. Additionally, variable frequency drives were installed for the exhaust fan, leading to an annual electricity savings of approximately 11,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh).

In 2023, ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corp. will proceed with the update of the air compressors and cooling water towers. ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corp.'s carbon emissions will be measured against the base year of 2022. The carbon intensity of its recycled products is 0.593 kgCO2e/kg. The company aims to reduce its emission intensity by 15% in 2026, 30% in 2030, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Currently, ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corp.'s renewable energy usage rate is approximately 6%. In the short term, the Company will continue to focus on process improvements to reduce carbon emission intensity while achieving energy and resource savings.

Wastewater treatment/recycled water plant laboratory provides accurate unit conditions and water quality data, but it requires a longer analysis time. To ensure real-time monitoring of the discharged water quality, the plant is equipped with an automatic continuous monitoring system. This system utilizes automated analyzers to provide rapid but less precise water quality data, enabling operational units to quickly respond and adapt to the trends in discharged water quality. It also serves as a reference for regulatory authorities and the general public. Through water quality analysis, automatic continuous monitoring, and other measures, the effluent from the Linkou Water Resources Center met and was lower than the statutory effluent standards in 2022, achieving the goal of environmental protection.

Wastewater and Waste Management

ECOVE actively aligns with government sustainable development policies and considers global issues such as the transformation and sustainable utilization of Earth's energy resources and greenhouse gas emissions. We proactively promote and implement the concept and actions of the 6Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Replace, and Respect) in environmental conservation, aiming to establish effective waste management practices.

6R Concept

▲ ECOVE actively promotes green office practices and environmental education focusing on source reduction through ESG Moments.

Operational Headquarters

ECOVE's headquarters building relies 100% on tap water as its water source and does not draw water from any other bodies of water. All wastewater is discharged into the sewage system. In addition to extensively using automatic sensor faucets to reduce water consumption, ECOVE also controls the water flow and timing to conserve water. They have also created various water-saving slogans to remind employees to save water at all times. Rainwater harvesting systems have been installed on the rooftop of the building and at construction sites to collect rainwater for irrigation of plants or for use during construction activities. The total water consumption in 2022 was 1,381.6 cubic meters. The water intensity, or water consumption per person, in 2022 was 13.545 cubic meters.

The general waste generated by the headquarters building in 2022 was 3.3 metric tons and it was treated through incineration. Paper, metal, plastic, and kitchen waste are all recycled at the headquarters building. In response to the significant increase in lunchtime meal waste, a separate recycling management system is implemented for paper and plastic food containers during the lunchtime period.

Waste incineration

All 8 large-scale waste incineration plants operated by ECOVE Environment Service Corp., a subsidiary of ECOVE, source 100% of their water from the municipal water supply. This water is primarily used for the production of boiler feedwater or the generation of soft water for process purposes. During the incineration process, various types of wastewaters, including process wastewater, vehicle washing wastewater, and employee domestic wastewater, are collected and treated in the on-site wastewater treatment system to meet design standards. After treatment, the water is introduced into an internal recycling system, such as for waste gas cooling, to achieve a goal of "zero wastewater discharge" through 100% recycling and reuse.
▼ Total water consumption in each plant

Starting from 2022, Southern Taoyuan Plant has implemented a pilot project for fly ash washing service. The water source for cleaning is tap water, and each ton of fly ash requires 3 tons of water. After treatment, the wastewater meets the discharge standards of the Zhongli Industrial Zone and is discharged into the industrial zone's sewer system.

In 2022, ECOVE Environment Service Corp. managed 8 large-scale waste incineration plants in Taiwan. The bottom ash generated from these plants amounted to 276,210.48 metric tons, with an average of 133.46 kilograms of bottom ash generated per metric ton of waste processed. The fly ash (including reaction products) generated was 64,064.47 metric tons, with an average of 30.95 kilograms of fly ash generated per metric ton of waste processed. The bottom ash underwent sampling and testing to ensure compliance with the regulations for bottom ash reuse management. It was then transported to the bottom ash reuse facility for further utilization. The fly ash, after stabilization treatment, was either packaged and bagged or sent for water washing before being reused. The stabilized material also underwent sampling and testing before being sent to an approved sanitary landfill for disposal. During the landfill process, there was no methane emission from waste burial. In 2022, a total of 3,618.7 metric tons of water-washed fly ash were sent for reuse, further advancing towards the goal of zero waste management.

All large-scale waste incineration plants in Taiwan ❼ currently do not accept hazardous industrial waste. The bottom ash and fly ash stabilization materials are classified as general industrial waste according to the hazardous waste determination criteria. Each plant is required to undergo regular testing to ensure compliance with the standards before the final landfill disposal can take place, as stipulated by laws and contracts. The approved landfill sites for waste disposal also need to have impermeable layers to isolate natural water bodies, as well as independent wastewater collection and treatment systems. There is currently no need for improvement due to substances released from landfilling.
▼Bottom ash and fly ash generation volume from incinerators

Recycling and reuse

ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corp.'s operational water is primarily used for cooling systems, and the water source is 100% from the public water supply. Therefore, there are no significant impacts on water sources. The waste solvent generated after distillation is directed to the in-house wastewater treatment facility for treatment. Through processes such as adjustment, neutralization, aeration, and sedimentation, the wastewater can meet the standards for industrial wastewater discharge in the industrial zone. 100% of the treated wastewater is discharged to the industrial zone's wastewater treatment plant.
▼Total water consumption of ECOVE Solvent Recycling Corp.

Solar power

Solar Power Plant Waste
In the case of solar panels, they mainly consist of modules, brackets, inverters, junction boxes, cables, and other electrical equipment. The modules are primarily composed of 74.2% glass, 10.3% aluminum frames, and 4% cells. Their waste should be handled in accordance with the recycling and disposal regulations set by the Bureau of Energy, MOEA. Recycling operators collect and process the materials through dismantling, sorting, treatment, and recycling. The sorted materials are then reused in various industries. The materials used for module brackets are mostly aluminum alloys and steel. Aluminum profiles have minimal consumption during use and can be 100% recycled as long as they are not corroded.

According to the "Regulations on the Installation and Management of Renewable Energy Power Generation Equipment," Article 17 states that solar panel installers are required to pay a certain amount as module recycling fees. These fees are collected by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) to establish a module recycling mechanism for proper management of retired photovoltaic modules. ECOVE Solar Energy Corporation also complies with the relevant regulations regarding the disposal of retired photovoltaic modules. The current disposal method involves centralized storage of retired solar panels and registering their serial numbers for module material tracking. When the recycling quantity specified by the EPA is reached, authorized waste solar panel transportation companies are commissioned to handle the disposal according to EPA requirements.
▼ Solar Photovoltaic Module Disposal Process