What Does “Going Green” Mean?
In this article, we’ll explain what “going green” means, the benefits, why it can prove difficult, what it means for businesses, and how you or your company can start going green.
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Between carbon emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and fugitive emissions – it can be difficult to keep track of these different air pollutants and how they affect our everyday lives.
Fugitive emissions refer to accidental emissions, such as when you’re boiling a pot of water and make the kitchen more humid by default – even if it wasn’t the intention.
👉 However, unlike most modern day kitchens where a ventilation system can help to soak up the extra moisture created by boiling a pot of water – getting rid of fugitive emissions aren’t nearly as easy.
In this article, we’ll explain what fugitive emissions are, examples of fugitive emissions, and how we can work together to stop fugitive emissions.
Fugitive emissions are unintentional emissions, often created by leakage or discharge of vapors and gasses released into the atmosphere from various industrial processes – such as in the processing, storage, and transportation of fossil fuels.
💡 Fugitive emissions contaminate the surrounding air, leading to worsened air pollution – which is challenging to undo as fugitive emissions come from a nonpoint source and are difficult to detect.
Fugitive emissions can come from several different components inside an active power plant, such as:
Companies and individuals alike should be concerned about fugitive emissions as they contribute to global warming, impact our health, and can have an economic impact on your business.
👉 The most challenging component of fugitive emissions is their inability to be quantified, as these emissions are never released on purpose – but as a byproduct of intense industrial activity.
A fugitive emission test is a process of testing for harmful gasses, vapors, or other qualified fugitive emissions from a source – such as an industrial production site or even for the average commuter vehicle.
💡 The main goal of conducting a fugitive emissions test is to ensure that a piece of equipment or vehicle as a whole will not contribute to excess fugitive emissions, helping the country, state, or even county maintain an adequate level of air quality.
Additional goals of conducting a fugitive emissions test include:
👉 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also requires fugitive emissions testing under laws such as the Clean Air Act – serving as an effort to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
Numerous methods can be used to identify fugitive emissions, such as by using ultrasound cameras, ambient air monitoring, and sniffer devices.
Here’s a breakdown of the various methods used to determine the source of fugitive emissions:
👉 Bussiness looking to audit their efforts to identify fugitive emissions can strive to follow the ISO 15848 standard, which qualifies the procedures conducted to verify fugitive emissions tests and determines how valve and body seals can prevent leaks and mitigate fugitive emissions.
While fugitive emissions can take on many different forms, such as in aerosols, dust, and fine particles – but the most intense fugitive emissions are greenhouse gasses such as methane and refrigerants.
💡 The most common source of fugitive emissions are faulty valves, pumps, and piping systems – of which will often unintentionally release harmful refrigerants and methane emissions in the atmosphere, impacting our ozone layer.
Examples of greenhouse gasses and volatile organic compounds that may be detected in a fugitive emissions test include:
The table below will explain how these different fugitive emissions impact the environment:
Fugitive Emission | Environmental Impact |
---|---|
Methane | Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, approximately 25 times more effective than CO₂ at trapping heat over 100 years. It contributes to global warming, and its leaks from oil, gas, and agriculture sectors accelerate climate change. |
Carbon Dioxide | CO₂ is a primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming. Fugitive emissions from industrial processes and fossil fuel combustion increase atmospheric concentrations, leading to rising global temperatures and ocean acidification. |
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) | HFCs are synthetic gases used in refrigeration and air conditioning with high global warming potential (GWP). Even small leaks have significant climate impacts, as HFCs can be thousands of times more potent than CO₂. |
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) | VOCs contribute to ground-level ozone (smog) formation when they react with nitrogen oxides in sunlight. This degrades air quality, harms respiratory health, and damages crops and ecosystems. |
Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF₆) | SF₆ is a potent greenhouse gas with a GWP over 23,000 times that of CO₂. Used in electrical equipment, its leaks have a long atmospheric lifespan, making it a significant contributor to climate change despite low quantities. |
Here are the two main examples of fugitive emissions sources:
Methane can escape pipes, compressors, and valves in transportation and processing industries. In addition to this, methane is a by-product of coal formation – which is one of the reasons why companies like Apple will try to enable sustainable minerals to manufacture their electronics.
Air conditioning systems and other refrigeration devices are increasingly being normalised around the world as global temperatures heat up, but the issue with this is that hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) can leak and exacerbate climate change.
👉 Additional examples of fugitive emissions include sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) from electrical switchgear and nitrous oxide from wastewater treatment plants.
Fugitive emissions are a major concern for the planet seeing as they are undetectable emissions and exacerbate the current climate crisis.
💡 As fugitive emissions have a higher potential to warm our planet, with VOCs contributing to ground-level ozone and methane emissions being able to trap 100 times more heat than carbon dioxide emissions.
Here are some more reasons why fugitive emissions are bad for the planet:
👉 Luckily, there are many methods and devices that can be used to monitor and manage fugitive emissions – such as by employing stricter regulations and utilising leak detection and repair (LDAR) devices.
We can combat fugitive emissions by encouraging companies to better monitor and manage leak detection, requiring fugitive emissions tests, and seeking to develop more innovative and efficient equipment design.
Here are some ways we could stop fugitive emissions:
Ultimately, fugitive emissions will be one of the more difficult challenges in the fight against climate change – but by employing stricter emission regulations and monitoring leaks in their earlier stages, we can successfully mitigate fugitive emissions.
If reading this article on fugitive emissions has made you interested in reducing your carbon emissions to further fight against climate change – Greenly can help you!
It can be overwhelming to figure out how to effectively reduce your company's fugitive emissions as they can be challenging to identify, but don’t worry – Greenly is here to help. Click here to schedule a demo to see how Greenly can help you find ways to ensure your company is complying with all current and future environmental regulations.
Greenly can help you make an environmental change for the better, starting with a carbon footprint assessment to know how much carbon emissions your company produces.