Our Planet

Tallow to Vegetable Oil Project: Project Complete, Emissions Reductions Included

Twin Rivers Technologies Manufacturing Corporation's (TRT) has replaced tallow with primarily RSPO certified palm oil as one of its primary raw materials. This initiative started in 2021 and was completed by the beginning of 2023.

Driving the change was a growing interest in vegetable-based products from the Home and Personal Care markets as consumers move away from animal-based ingredients in their formulations. This trend, in combination with increased value and decreased availability of tallow due to renewable diesel, put TRT on the path toward 100% vegetable fatty acid production.

TRT aligned its goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals in 2021. Projects like this one exemplify a shift towards sustainable sourcing practices in the oleochemical industry. This effort also supports the Scientific Based Target initiative (SBTi); the ACI 1.5C Climate Challenge and other commitments TRT has made to reach net zero by 2050.

In this paper we investigate the environmental implications of this transition, analyzing emissions across the life cycle stages of both raw materials, from growth/harvest; transportation and finally finished product processing. To quantify the sustainability aspects of the tallow to vegetable oil from a lifecycle analysis (LCA) and a product carbon foot printing (PCF) standpoint, TRT conducted a study in 2023 to look at the changes in product impacts in a cradle to gate analysis that examined raw material acquisition, transportation and finished product manufacture.

Actual total raw material transportation emissions from 2021 to 2023 for rail and tanker truck emissions we see reductions from 891MT to only 24 MT (the 24 tons is associated with soya receipts only in 2023). There was a negligible increase in vehicles on a mile-ton basis due to the shifting of transport modes. However, all deliveries were made on vessels scheduled to supply other TRT and no additional shipments were added to accommodate the raw material change.

Actual sea tanker emissions during this time also decreased from 21,659MT in 2020 to 15,940MT in 2023. Over the same period, inbound rail emissions went from 807MT to just 24MT and emissions from truck shipments went from 552 MT to ZERO!

Overall, the result of the tallow to veg conversion was a great opportunity for TRT's business and to supply its customers with superior products. The secondary benefits, however, are clear when we examine the LCA PCF product models of the new raw materials compared to the old ones.

Significant reductions in overall emissions in raw materials acquisition, transportation, and production are clear. Tertiary benefits include the return of tallow to the marketplace where it will either shorten our competitors' supply chains or be used in biofuels again, reducing emissions further. At TRT we expect to see the potential of this threefold decrease in emissions continue over time. Plans to execute other projects are underway that will help us in our quest to become Net Zero by 2050!

Reuse: Source & Water Reduction

TARGET: NET ZERO

TRT is working to achieve its net zero emissions goals and is executing its strategic emissions reduction plan. The evidence will be found annually in the results of our product carbon foot printing and life cycle analysis program.

In 2021, Twin Rivers Technologies Group (TRT) took another significant step in its climate action journey by joining the American Cleaning Institute's (ACI) 1.5°C Climate Challenge—an initiative that directly supports the objectives of the Paris Climate Accord and advances the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). The following year, in 2022, TRT furthered its commitment by volunteering under the UN's Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), reinforcing our alignment with the UN Global Compact principles on environmental stewardship. Recognizing that the urgency of the climate crisis demands collective action, TRT embraced these challenges with a firm commitment to contribute to the global effort to limit warming to 1.5°C.

While TRT acknowledges that the path to climate action may vary among companies, the underlying objective remains the same: to combat climate change with determination and purpose. In alignment with ACI signatories, TRT has undertaken a rigorous examination of its emissions to develop a robust corporate climate strategy, setting ambitious targets consistent with the 1.5°C ambition and the Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goal. The company's ultimate objective is to achieve net-zero global emissions by 2050, in line with the SBTi framework and the climate action expectations of the UN Global Compact

In 2023, TRT launched a Product Carbon Footprinting (PCF) campaign, incorporating life cycle analysis (LCA) with a cradle-to-gate examination of its supply chain. This process evaluated all production systems and established baseline data sets for each operational unit. By tracing raw material inputs through each stage of production, TRT quantified the associated energy, water use, and outputs contributing to carbon emissions. The results provided a comprehensive understanding of the company's total carbon footprint, strengthening our capacity to deliver on the commitments outlined in the Paris Climate Accord and the SDGs. This program now serves as TRT's annual assessment tool for measuring progress toward net-zero emissions.

The timeline for action TRT is work toward continues in 2024. TRT established and published the TRT Strategic Emission Reduction Plan (SERP). This plan is lays out science-based greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction efforts against 5 year cyclic targets. By making this kind of commitment our entire organization has integrated carbon reduction efforts into the evaluation and prioritization of projects at the facility. This groundwork established measurable metrics that can assess progress against the SERP goals.

TRT's commitment to transparency continues in its reporting practices, with Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions being tracked and reported since 2017, providing a comprehensive view of its environmental impact but has gone a step further with the outputs the LCA / PCF project has generated.

Above the carbon footprint of the entire organization's supply chain is laid out in full. Historical tracking has not been verified by a third party in the past but does stand up well against the 2023/24 project outcomes. Below are the results of our tracking process.

As part of the 1.5C Challenge, TRT is actively exploring potential projects and technologies that have the potential to drive meaningful emissions reductions. Since 2017, the company has already achieved a commendable 5% reduction in overall emissions on a per pound basis. However, TRT recognizes that the real challenge lies in sustaining and accelerating this momentum to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

As part of the 1.5C Challenge, TRT is actively exploring potential projects and technologies that have the potential to drive meaningful emissions reductions. Since 2017, the company has already achieved a commendable 5% reduction in overall emissions on a per pound basis. However, TRT recognizes that the real challenge lies in sustaining and accelerating this momentum to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

The road ahead may be challenging, but TRT is resolute in its commitment to climate action. With innovation, collaboration, and unwavering determination, TRT is poised to continue its journey towards a sustainable future, where the promise of a 1.5°C world remains within reach.