Any form of pollution resulting from industrial activities is potentially harmful to the environment and society.

Global warming, climate change, the extinction of animal species are among the frequently addressed environmental effects of air pollution. Meanwhile, trash thrown into rivers that ends up in the ocean can pollute seawater, which will not only harm fish and other marine life, but also the water cycle. Water pollution poses risks to human health.

Now with the COVID-19 pandemic still lingering, exposure to industrial pollutions cannot only exacerbate the unfavorable situation in this difficult time but also threaten business sustainability, which will potentially affect the prosperity that people desire.

This explains why publicly listed PT Chandra Asri Petrochemical, a subsidiary of diversified petrochemical giant PT Barito Pacific, is poised to operate the enclosed ground flare (EGF), smokeless flare technology, at its petrochemical complex in Cilegon, Banten, West Java.

The application of the EGF aims to reduce social and environmental impacts, part of Chandra Asri’s commitment to sustainability. 

EGF is capable of burning 220 tons of hydrocarbon per hour by employing a closed combustion method and without causing heat and noise.

EGF is designed to carry out the combustion process completely, which is environmentally beneficial, as no hydrocarbons from combustion are discharged into the air.

Meanwhile, the advantage of the technology over a conventional flare lies in its ability to reduce noise while eliminating flame and smoke.

"We are committed to running our plant operations wisely by reducing potential impacts on the environment and communities,” said Erwin Ciputra, president director of Chandra Asri.

He went on to say, “the EGF construction in our plant operational area is our environmental and social investment to reduce carbon footprint and maintain a more comfortable condition for communities living near our operational area.” 

Chandra Asri has completed the EGF project with an investment of US$14 million amid the pandemic thanks to its partnership with Toyo Engineering Corporation and Inti KaryaPersada Teknik as engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors.

Chandra Asri, along with its parent company, has further made social and environmental contributions through CSR and sustainability initiatives to align with the company’s commitment to creating high-value jobs, expanding the domestic petrochemical value chain and serving the needs of the vibrant and growing domestic market.

Empathy with pandemic-affected people

To support the shared efforts to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, for example,Chandra Asri together with its founder, PrajogoPangestu and Barito Pacific Group’s subsidiaries, namely Star Energy and Bakti Barito Foundation, have donated Rp 48.5 billion worth of protective suits, masks, COVID-19 PCR and rapid tests, gloves and other items to various state-owned hospitals and communities living near their operational areas.

“Allow us to show our empathy and concern with those directly impacted by the pandemic. This is in parallel with the directions given by Barito Pacific founder PrajogoPangestu who always wants to take part in easing the burden that the people and the government should bear in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Agus Salim Pangestu, presidentdirector of Barito Pacific.

Sustainability initiatives

In carrying out its sustainability initiatives, Chandra Asri collaborates with other stakeholders to enable the programs to run effectively. It teams up with the Cilegon administration to implement its program of asphalting roads in Cilegon area. Its asphalt mix incorporates plastic bag waste.

In the Cilegon area alone, the company provided about 11.34 million pieces of plastic bag waste that was broken into small pieces prior to being converted into the asphalt mix. To date, the asphalt mix-using roadworks that started in 2019 have covered 19 kilometers in the area. The use of the asphalt mix aims to support the government’s efforts to tackle plastic waste problems.

A study by the Public Works and Housing Ministry found that using high density polyethylene (HDPE) in the asphalt mix could increase road stability by 40 percent.

Under the sustainability initiative, Chandra Asri also supports the growth of its stakeholders. The company donated three-story building built on 2000 square meters to the Banten Police to show its support for the police in providing services to the public.

The above actions reflect the company’s aim be socially and environmentally responsible.

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