Environment/Sustainability

Environmental reclamation

• As part of the State of Pennsylvania’s Voluntary Cleanup Program, Shell invested $80 million in environmental cleanup work to repurpose an industrial site under Act 2 standards and guidelines

Preparation

• Moved 7.2 million cubic yards-plus of fill to cover entire site with average 7 feet, up to 14 feet in most areas
• Built culverts and added barriers designed to prevent impacted media from reaching streams, river and groundwater. Installed groundwater wells and other monitoring measures

Maintenance

• Control all rainwater onsite
• Working closely with regulatory agencies to ensure compliance with all applicable requirements

Restoring and Enhancing Wetlands

• Shell worked with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to restore and enhance a wetland property, Cross Creek, located in the same watershed as the plant. 
• The land in Cross Creek was formerly impaired but now supports fish and aquatic life;
• Wetland and riparian vegetation have reestablished and are thriving;
• The restoration work was designed to improve groundwater recharge to the streams as well as provides natural flood control; 

Monitoring results show: 

• The project is currently meeting more than 95% of established performance standards and is now a self-sustaining ecosystem; and
• The number and quality of warm and cold-water fish and macroinvertebrate species (worms, snails and aquatic insects) have increased which indicates water quality is high-value.

The mitigation work at Cross Creek:

• Restored 17,764 linear feet of streams;
• Restored 6.42 acres of wetlands; and
• Included planting over 500 saplings or seeds per acre, including red oak, dogwood, black willow and hawthorn trees, and native grasses and flowers.

Operation Clean Sweep

Shell Polymers Monaca is a proud blue member of Operation Clean Sweep (OCS), an international program designed to prevent resin pellets, flakes and powder loss and help keep these materials out of the environment. Employees have taken the pledge and received extensive training in implementing good housekeeping and containment practices to uphold our commitment to achieve zero plastic resin loss. Learn more about OCS.

Recycling and Sustainability in Beaver County, Pennsylvania

Shell supports local recycling by making a $225 donation to the Beaver County Department of Sustainability and Waste Management. The money was used to extend recycling collection hours at the recycling facility, hire a full time recycling center manager, and create recycling programs in area schools.

At the site of Shell Polymers Monaca, nearly six miles of roads and forty-seven thousand square yards of parking lots were paved with asphalt that incorporates recycled plastic additive to enhance the asphalt (bitumen) mix. The paving project utilized the equivalent of three million plastic grocery bags, reducing waste in landfills.