At Flint Hills Resources, our top priorities are to keep people safe and to protect the environment. We produce products that are essential to the economy and to improving people’s lives and we are committed to making these products responsibly and with the utmost respect for the environment and Earth’s natural resources. Our employees live these values every day and have helped us continuously improve our performance as we constantly strive to minimize our emissions, use fewer resources and work in our communities to make a positive difference for the environment.
Environmental Impact by the Numbers
Information based on industry benchmarking of traditional criteria pollutants through publicly available data.
70%
Lower Emissions
70% lower traditional criteria emissions since 1997.
28%
Lower Emissions
Operations that have 28% lower traditional criteria emissions per barrel than other large U.S. refineries.
253
Thousand Fewer Pounds of Nitrates
Reduced nitrate releases by 253,000 pounds in the wastewater discharge through improved process control and process configuration changes at our Pine Bend refinery in Minnesota.
New Leak Detection and Repair Technology
Technology
Flint Hills Resources’ investments in things like flare-gas recovery, water-recycling and cutting-edge sensor technology help eliminate waste and minimize emissions. Whether we are designing a new pump or investing millions of dollars in a new refinery unit, principles of environmental stewardship and sustainability always help guide our decisions.
EPA Energy Star Partner and Certification
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Koch Industries the number one U.S.-based parent company in pollution prevention initiatives. In 2017, the company won the EPA Energy Star Partner of the Year award in recognition of its superior energy management practices.
In 2020, the Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery again earned the EPA’s Energy Star certification. This certification signifies that the refinery performs in the top 25% of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency.
Combined heat and power system
Wildlife and habitat stewardship
Conservation
From northern Minnesota to South Texas, Flint Hills Resources sites have earned or are in the process of earning Conservation Certification from the Wildlife Habitat Council, which recognizes companies that demonstrate a long-term commitment to managing quality habitat for wildlife, and support conservation education and community outreach.
Clean Air and Water
Flint Hills Resources actively collaborates with public and private organizations to find ways to minimize emissions and invest in programs outside of our facilities that help our communities maintain clean environments.