Bi-Products Consumption
Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions
Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are often called greenhouse gases (GHG). General Cable reports Scope I and Scope 2 GHG emissions. Scope I GHG emissions are direct emissions. Examples would be sulfur hexafluoride, which we use in cable testing and gas-insulated switch gears, and propane, which is used to power mobile equipment. Scope 2 emissions are indirect emissions from the utilities that provide power to our facilities. A large majority of our GHG emissions are Scope 2 emissions. Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and three groups of fluorinated gases (sulfur hexafluoride, HFCs and PFCs) are the major greenhouse gases and the subject of the Kyoto Protocol. Since each GHG traps heat to a differing degree, carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalents are used to measure how much global warming a given type and amount of greenhouse gas may cause, using the functionally equivalent amount or concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) as the reference. We report GHGs using the GHG equivalency factors according to The Greenhouse Gas Protocol - A Corporate Accountability and Reporting Standard. We report GHG emissions in metric tons.
| NORTH AMERICA | EUROPE & MED | REST OF WORLD | GLOBAL TOTAL | UNITS | |
| Greenhouse Gas Emissions (CO2 Equivalent) | 194,987 | 171,384 | 29,190 | 395,561 | Metric Tons |
Hazardous Waste
We report hazardous waste and non-hazardous waste as they are defined by the environmental regulations in the countries in which we operate. The most significant difference is that liquid waste from industrial processing, including oil and wire drawing and annealing solution, is considered hazardous waste in most countries outside of the U.S. and Canada.
| NORTH AMERICA | EUROPE & MED | REST OF WORLD | GLOBAL TOTAL | UNITS | |
| Solids | 12.9 | 537.0 | 86.2 | 636.1 | Metric Tons |
| Non-Oil Liquids | 28.97 | 60.00 | 4.04 | 93.01 | Cubic Meters |
Non-Hazardous Waste
General Cable generates solid waste typical of manufacturing plants at all of our facilities. Landfilled waste includes scrap cable insulation, jacketing, fillers, cardboard, packaging and other solid waste that is not reused or recycled.
| NORTH AMERICA | EUROPE & MED | REST OF WORLD | GLOBAL TOTAL | UNITS | |
| Landfilled | 5,371 | 5,127 | 3,032 | 13,530 | Metric Tons |
as of December 31, 2011
