WASTE REDUCTION AND RECYCLING

TXU’s programs to reduce chemical use, replace hazardous substances with nonhazardous substances and minimize and reuse waste continue to pay major environmental dividends. The reuse of material decreases energy costs, reduces greenhouse gas emissions and saves landfill space.

Recycling
In 2004, TXU recycled more than 2.7 billion pounds of used materials, representing a 12.3% increase over the previous year and the largest recycling quantity since 1993 when centralized recycling accounting began. Major increases between 2003 and 2004 occurred in the sale of combustion products (fly ash and bottom ash), with an increase of over 300 million pounds, and transformer oil, with an increase of slightly more than 800,000 pounds. Decreases in quantities recycled between 2003 and 2004 occurred with waste water, lead cable, pipe, paper and aluminum.

Over the past 12 years, TXU has recycled more than 18.9 billion pounds of materials, including 17.8 billion pounds of coal combustion products, 660 million pounds of wood wastes, 225.9 million pounds of scrap metal, 77.4 million pounds of drained electrical equipment, 48.3 million pounds of insulating oil, 31.7 million pounds of lubricating oil and 7.1 million pounds of paper and aluminum. Most of the company’s recycling efforts take place at the System Operating Service Facility in Lancaster, Texas, immediately south of Dallas. Each year, the facility processes a variety of materials, such as antifreeze, lead-acid batteries, electrical equipment, electrical cable, oils of various types, oil filters, pipe, scrap metal and wood waste (mostly pallets from equipment handling).

Hazardous Waste Reduction, Prevention
TXU tracks and reports the annual generation and disposal of hazardous waste from its facilities and operations as part of its pollution prevention practices. Understanding how and where hazardous waste streams are produced helps to develop programs to eliminate or reduce these quantities. In 2004, the company disposed of 43.4 tons of hazardous waste, which was a 42.5% reduction from 2003.

Coal Combustion Products
The recycling of coal combustion products – fly ash and bottom ash – from TXU’s Big Brown, Monticello, Martin Lake and Sandow generating plants accounted for the largest individual quantity of material recycled during 2004, as it has each of the past 11 years.