The Solingen-based automotive supplier BIA has been awarded the Environmental Management Prize 2023 by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). The company received the award in the "Best Environmental and Climate Protection Measure" category for the cost-effective implementation of palladium recovery in the electroplating process.
Here, the rare element is used in the pre-treatment of plastic components to make them electrically conductive. In the process chain, the palladium is usually carried over via rinsing baths and is lost during the subsequent treatment of the rinsing water. Thanks to the recovery of palladium, it can be fed back into the process. As the extraction process of palladium as a raw material is energy-intensive and has a very highCO2 equivalent, this measure enables BIA to reduce theCO2 emissions required for new palladium extraction by around 25 tons per year.c
"It's nice to see that even supposedly smaller measures to protect the environment and resources are being recognized and appreciated."
The Head of BIA Development and Process Technology, Dr. Felix A. Heinzler, who was responsible for implementing the project, was delighted with the jury's recognition. "It's nice to see that even supposedly smaller measures to protect the environment and conserve resources receive attention and appreciation." Although the total savings from palladium recovery are rather low compared to the industry as a whole, the award shows a general awareness that all operational measures to save energy and resources are an important component in achieving climate targets. "Seen across the entire industry, the savings potential also adds up significantly," emphasizes Dr. Heinzler.
Together with BIA Managing Director Technology Dr. Markus Dahlhaus, he accepted the award on November 8 in Berlin. "Receiving the Environmental Management Award confirms our claim to be the technology leader in our industry," adds Dr. Dahlhaus.
