OMV recognizes that non-GHG emissions along the value chain, originating from suppliers, our own operations, and the use of OMV’s products, negatively impact air quality and consequently human and environmental health. The energy transition provides an opportunity to reduce non-GHG emissions by pursuing new businesses that cause little to no air pollution. This transition to new, cleaner energy sources, such as hydrogen and geothermal, results in reduced air pollution compared to fossil sources. Through engagement with suppliers and business partners to reduce water and soil pollution within our supply chain, OMV can achieve positive environmental impacts. Nevertheless, water pollution can still arise from routine operations, such as the release of drill cuttings, drill fluids, and processed water discharge, or from deviations from environmental compliance rules in the downstream value chain. Additionally, water and/or soil pollution due to asset integrity failure at our onshore or offshore operations, from routine or non-routine operations, can lead to severe environmental and social consequences, costly remediation, and reputational damage.
Potential pollution from plastic waste and pellets caused by inadequate handling, including the failure to properly collect, sort, and dispose of plastic waste, can lead to environmental contamination. Furthermore, pellet spills during transport and littering by users after the use phase may further contribute to this issue. Microplastics, in the form of plastic pellets, are produced at every Borealis polyolefin production site. These microplastics can appear as resin pellets, flakes, powder, “angel hair,” and dust. The majority of the microplastics produced are transported from the production sites as products within primary containment. However, an incident involving the loss of primary containment could lead to an unintentional and unrecovered release of pellets, potentially resulting in the emission of microplastics into the environment. By addressing these actual and potential negative impacts and risks, OMV is committed to reducing the negative impact on air, water, and soil, while transitioning to cleaner energy sources to ensure a positive environmental impact. For details on the material IROs related to E2 Pollution, see ESRS 2 General Information.