CCC Sulphur Products Reducing Environmental Footprint

CCC Sulphur Products aims to reduce environmental footprint.

CCC Sulphur Products (also known as Sulco Chemicals Limited) has made a commitment to keep the community informed of our efforts to protect health, safety and the environment. With the installation of a recent facility upgrade, we want to share the steps we have taken to meet these initiatives.

CCC Sulphur Products manufactures sulphuric acid, oleum and sodium bisulphite from molten sulphur. The sulphur that we consume is a by-product of oil refining and gas processing from refineries in Ontario. Sulphuric acid is one of the most commonly produced chemicals in the world and is primarily used in the manufacture of fertilizers. Other uses include car batteries, steel production and water treatment. Oleum is mainly used in the production of aluminum and refrigerants. Sodium bisulphite is used in the pulp and paper industry for bleaching in paper production and for the dechlorination of municipal drinking water and waste water systems.

These production processes generate a lot of heat and so, at the end of 2021, we have installed a steam turbine and an air-cooled condenser (pictured below) to take advantage of this surplus heat. This facility upgrade takes steam from production and convert it into electricity. This steam is currently used on-site, sold to local manufacturing facilities via pipeline and vented to atmosphere when all other demands are met.

We now take this excess steam and run it through the turbine that rotates an electrical generator to produce enough electricity to allow the facility to be self-sufficient. The exhaust low-pressure steam from the turbine will be cooled with an air-cooled condenser to recycle the water back into the steam production process. Much of the project work was done with the support of local contractors who have been key partners.

With the facility consuming less water as well as being self-sufficient on its electrical needs, we are a business with the ability to operate completely “off-grid”. An impressive accomplishment for any business and a testament that we can all make a difference in reducing our environmental footprint.

In 2019 we presented the various turbine design options to our Community Advisory Panel (CAP) with items that focused on water conservation, spill control, noise impact, water vapor plume appearance, maintenance, economics and delivery schedule. With the help of our CAP we decided on a final option that not only suited our company, but also suited our community representatives. CCC Sulphur Products is verified every three years by the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) to ensure we meet the Responsible Care® ethic. Our CAP is a large part of meeting that ethos. The February 2022 verification results are available on the CIAC website – www.canadianchemistry.ca; our next verification will be completed in February of 2025. During this process, community representatives will participate and learn more about what it means to be a Responsible Care® company and a good neighbour.

CCC Sulphur Products has been a proud employer and community member since 1968 and these recent changes show our on-going commitment to reduce our local environmental footprint.