So I have been following the Koch brothers/Koch Industries for a while. You often hear of many reports about how Koch Industries pollutes and is making the air and water dirty for everyone else to breathe. However, do Charles and David Koch breathe different air then the rest of us?
I have to admit even I thought Koch Industries made pollution a tad worse until I actually looked at some data. I found reports (this link has all years I will refer to) that showed they do indeed reduce their pollution, recycle, and are actually more green than most people think. The latest Koch EHS report from 2014 is here.
Currently about 90% of Koch facilities are STAR certified. STAR certified is a voluntary program from OSHA that companies voluntary join in order to make their workplaces safer than even OSHA regulations. A better explanation of this program is explained here. Because STAR sites are safer (because of voluntary actions of the company) they are rechecked every 3-5 years instead of every year. OSHA reviews incident rates every year though. However, as we will see Koch through continuous improvement has reduced emissions and made their work environment safer.
From 1997-2006 Flint Hills Resources refinery in Rosemount, Minn (this facility is very large-as I have actually driven past it) decreased emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide by 53%. Also in 2006 criteria air emissions were .07 pounds per barrel of refining capacity, which was 65% less than the industry average of the 50 largest refineries in the country. As of 2012 the Flint Hills Resources in Corpus Christi, Texas went 12 years without a lost-time incident. Even the Obama administration praised Flint Hills Texas facilities. In 2000, a senior EPA official praised Koch because their Koch Petroleum Group agreed to reduced emissions by 60,000 tons annually.
From 1997-2006 Flint Hills Resources refinery in Rosemount, Minn (this facility is very large-as I have actually driven past it) decreased emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulfur dioxide by 53%. Also in 2006 criteria air emissions were .07 pounds per barrel of refining capacity, which was 65% less than the industry average of the 50 largest refineries in the country. As of 2012 the Flint Hills Resources in Corpus Christi, Texas went 12 years without a lost-time incident. Even the Obama administration praised Flint Hills Texas facilities. In 2000, a senior EPA official praised Koch because their Koch Petroleum Group agreed to reduced emissions by 60,000 tons annually.
Koch invests 90% of their earnings back into the company. Much of this is to improve or upgrade existing facilities. In 1999 Koch introduced a low sulfur product six years before federal standards would be mandated. The company spent $200 million at the Pine Bend refinery (which produces low sulfur fuels). At a Koch Mont Belvieu, Texas facility decreased plant flaring by 95% which decreased emissions from 40,000 pounds in 2000 to about 2,000 pounds by 2003.
People forget Koch Industries has a division that actually purifies water (Koch Membrane-which David Koch is in charge of). Koch Membrane provides drinking water to municipalities which use cartridges to clean out the water and can clean millions of gallons of water every day. In fact Koch's reverse osmosis module removed 99% of total arsenic in order to provide clean water to agencies and municipalities. Is is ironic that critics claim Mr. Koch is polluting the earth when he runs a division that purifies water!
In 1997, Koch Petroleum's refining operations had 45% fewer criteria air emissions that the average amount peer refiners. By 2000, Koch Pipeline transported 650 million barrels of liquids (including crude oil, natural gas, and other chemicals) and only one quart of product even touched the water. Between 1995-2000 Koch operated pipelines were able to reduce their leaks by 92%. In order to run these pipelines Koch spent $33 million in order to build a control center that had a fiber optic cable, customized software, plus a power supply that isn't uninterrupted. In December 2012 Koch Pipeline and Flint Hills Resources went 8 years without a lost time incident. Speaking of Flint Hills from 1997-2012 the company reduced its emissions by 76% and emissions were 38% lower than peer refiners for 2012.
Koch Industries is also into recycling between 1999 and 2000 Koch Industries more than 326 tons of material which was a 19% increase. From 2000-2003 the recycling amount per person increased 29%.
Koch operates in a pretty safe environment. Koch's Matador Cattle company for many years has operated with no incidents. Koch Aviation which flies about 2,300 hours per year had a four year OSHA recordable injuries in the mid 2000's that was 80% lower than the industry average. John Zink worked more than 4 million hours and 850 consecutive days without an injury resulting in time away from work. John Zink at this time had 700 employees working 1.7 million years annually. In 2006 six Georgia Pacific facilities had more than 1 million hours in each facility without a lost day of work. A Koch Nitrogen facility in Oklahoma recorded 3 years with no lost time injuries. An Invista facility in the Netherlands went 15 years without a lost workday case and Invista site in Brazil went 32 years without a lost time injury! At the same plant from 2003-2011 which makes LYCRA fiber reduced the amount of water used and actually saved enough water to fill 80 million one litter bottles.
To my knowledge Koch no longer explores for oil/gas. The company does refine oil which is turning the crude oil into other byproducts that are used into everyday goods like plastics. Koch just purchased Molex which is a connectors company that makes connectors for iPhone and other electronic devices. The company makes plastics, fibers, refines oil/gas, minerals, fertilizer, sends oil and gas through pipelines, and even does ranching. It seems as if though Koch Industries voluntary invests 90% of their earnings back into the company to make company assets and employees safer. By reinvesting the earnings back into the company Koch increases productivity and reduces lost work time due to accidents. By reducing the amount of waste Koch is able to make more money and use fewer resources. How many people would have guessed that Koch Industries actually reduces pollution and makes the world a greener place?
Koch operates in a pretty safe environment. Koch's Matador Cattle company for many years has operated with no incidents. Koch Aviation which flies about 2,300 hours per year had a four year OSHA recordable injuries in the mid 2000's that was 80% lower than the industry average. John Zink worked more than 4 million hours and 850 consecutive days without an injury resulting in time away from work. John Zink at this time had 700 employees working 1.7 million years annually. In 2006 six Georgia Pacific facilities had more than 1 million hours in each facility without a lost day of work. A Koch Nitrogen facility in Oklahoma recorded 3 years with no lost time injuries. An Invista facility in the Netherlands went 15 years without a lost workday case and Invista site in Brazil went 32 years without a lost time injury! At the same plant from 2003-2011 which makes LYCRA fiber reduced the amount of water used and actually saved enough water to fill 80 million one litter bottles.
To my knowledge Koch no longer explores for oil/gas. The company does refine oil which is turning the crude oil into other byproducts that are used into everyday goods like plastics. Koch just purchased Molex which is a connectors company that makes connectors for iPhone and other electronic devices. The company makes plastics, fibers, refines oil/gas, minerals, fertilizer, sends oil and gas through pipelines, and even does ranching. It seems as if though Koch Industries voluntary invests 90% of their earnings back into the company to make company assets and employees safer. By reinvesting the earnings back into the company Koch increases productivity and reduces lost work time due to accidents. By reducing the amount of waste Koch is able to make more money and use fewer resources. How many people would have guessed that Koch Industries actually reduces pollution and makes the world a greener place?
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