Tate & Lyle eliminates the use of coal in all its operations

Tate & Lyle delivers on its commitment to eliminate the use of coal-based energy in all its operations across the world. This commitment, targeted for delivery by 2025, has been met four years ahead of schedule.

This marks the completion of a multi-year capital investment program totalling more than US$150 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase efficiency in Tate & Lyle’s plants. This has been achieved primarily by replacing coal systems with natural gas-fired combined heat and power systems at four corn wet mills in Loudon, Tennessee, Decatur, Illinois and both plants in Lafayette, Ind. The Sagamore plant in Lafayette decommissioned its coal system in 2014, followed by Loudon in 2017, and then the Lafayette South plant earlier this year. With the decommissioning of the final coal system at the Decatur, Ill., plant last month, Tate & Lyle delivered on its commitment.

The elimination of coal-based energy at these sites means less water will be used and local communities will benefit from improved air quality and less truck traffic.

Sara Leeman, Tate & Lyle’s global environmental lead, said: “Moving away from onsite coal consumption is a key part of our sustainability programme to drive a significant reduction in our Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions. We have now fully decommissioned all onsite coal systems at our sites.”