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STMicroelectronics Malta Leads the Way in the Use of Alternative Fuel |
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 Geneva,
September 23, 2004 - STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a company with
a strong track record for active commitment to the environment, has announced
that its Kirkop back-end semiconductor manufacturing facility in Malta
has taken the initiative to use only biodiesel fuel for the diesel-powered
vehicles in its transport fleet and for its boiler systems.ST Malta, which is the largest exporter and one of the largest employers in the country, is now using biodiesel "B100" to power its fork-lift trucks, road vehicles and the boilers which heat its facility. B100 is produced entirely from recycled edible oil used in catering processes and contains no petroleum products. With a start-up cost of less than $1000, the biodiesel program is expected to save approximately $3200 in fuel costs per year, thanks to lower consumption and fuel prices. The real saving, however, is the dramatic cut in the emissions of harmful gases and particulates that are present when normal petrodiesel is used. Commenting on the B100 scheme, Georges Auguste, Corporate Vice President and Director of Total Quality and Environmental Management, STMicroelectronics, said: "This scheme is yet another positive demonstration of the environmental benefits that can easily be achieved, at zero cost, not only by ST but by other companies worldwide, when they really care about being environmentally friendly, and when they acknowledge people's creativity and empowerment." ST has set high environmental goals alongside its more conventional business ambitions. As long ago as 1995 it defined and published its Environmental Decalogue, a ten-point roadmap of timed and quantifiable targets leading towards the ultimate goal of becoming environmentally neutral. The roadmap defines specific objectives for reducing consumption of energy, water and chemicals, and for reducing and limiting greenhouse gas emissions and waste. In 2003 the company was judged Best Industrial Renewable Energy Partnership in the final year of the European Commission's five-year 'Campaign for Take-Off' competition. The prize was awarded in recognition of ST's ambitious program to obtain 15% of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2010, and of its progress towards that target. All of ST's manufacturing sites are EMAS (Eco-Management and Audit Scheme) validated and ISO14001 certified, international standards for environmental management aimed at reducing environmental impact. Commenting on this initiative, Gene Gretchen, Managing Director of ST's Malta facility, said, "We are delighted to actively support ST's aggressive corporate sustainable development programs. The biodiesel initiative is the latest in the series of environmental breakthroughs, which culminated in the Malta plant being recognized as part of the European Union Management Award for Sustainable Development." About Biodiesel B100 A study by the US Environment Protection Agency found that B100 (100% biodiesel) reduced total unburned hydrocarbons by more than 65%, carbon monoxide up to 48%, and total particulate matter up to 47%. Other research also shows that the ozone forming potential of the hydrocarbon emissions from pure biodiesel is nearly 50% less than that of petroleum-based fuel. Pure biodiesel contains no sulphur and therefore reduces sulphur dioxide exhausted from diesel engines that use it to virtually zero. PAH and nPAH compounds (identified as carcinogenic compounds) are also reduced drastically by 80% and 90%, respectively. Biodiesel fuel can also help to meet national goals for the net reduction of atmospheric carbon. As a renewable fuel derived from organic materials, the use of biodiesel reduces the net amount of CO2 in the biosphere. The US Department of Energy found that biodiesel production and use generate 78.5% less CO2 emissions than petroleum diesel. In appropriate geographical areas, carbon dioxide is 'taken up' by the annual production of crops such as soybeans and then released when vegetable-oil-based biodiesel is burned, making biodiesel the best technology currently available for heavy-duty diesel applications to reduce atmospheric carbon. About ST Malta The Kirkop plant in Malta, which has been in operation since 1981, is an assembly and test facility for the ST products that use the most advanced chip packages. In 2002, the plant received the Management Award for Sustainable Development as part of the European Awards for the Environment, organized by the European Commission Directorate-General Environment. With more than 2,300 employees at the Kirkop site, STMicroelectronics is the largest private employer in Malta and a prominent member of the Maltese community and economy, providing 55% of the country's total domestic exports. About STMicroelectronics STMicroelectronics is a global leader in developing and delivering semiconductor solutions across the spectrum of microelectronics applications. An unrivalled combination of silicon and system expertise, manufacturing strength, Intellectual Property (IP) portfolio and strategic partners positions the Company at the forefront of System-on-Chip (SoC) technology and its products play a key role in enabling today's convergence markets. The Company's shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, on Euronext Paris and on the Milan Stock Exchange. In 2003, the Company's net revenues were $7.24 billion and net earnings were $253 million. Further information on ST can be found at www.st.com. |
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