Internal Water Management
GC uses the 3Ws principle for its internal water management consists of Water Saving, Water Innovation, and Water Stewardship. For example, recycling of effluent from wastewater treatment system, and increasing numbers of water reused in cooling system, etc. GC also has assessed direct and indirect water consumption throughout the product life cycle by implementing the Product Water Footprint (PWF) to analyze hotspots and define approaches to reduce water use in the production process.
Additionally, GC has assessed water management risks both quantitatively and qualitatively in Map Ta Phut area by using the Water Risk Map, which is developed by the AQUEDUCT Water Risk Atlas and WBCSD Global Water Tool, as a Tool for risk assessment and analysis. As a result, GC has no operating sites in the area with water stress. However, GC plans to regularly assess the risk, implement an effective water management and develop internal water management in accordance with the 3Ws approach.
Water Saving
To reduce water consumption according to 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) in order to promote the most efficient water use.
Water Innovation
To minimize the risk of water scarcity and reduce the use of water from the same source as the community by producing fresh water from sea water.
Water Stewardship
To assess water use both direct and indirect throughout product life cycle by calculating water footprint. It also allows GC to specify high water risk areas around operation sites and raises employees’ awareness on efficient water consumption.
GC has introduced new project that would reduce the organization’s water extraction activities such as Wastewater Reverse Omission (WWRO) and the implementation of Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)
Wastewater Reverse Omission (WWRO)
GC enhances the quality of reclaimed water using the Wastewater Reverse Osmosis (WWRO) system so that it can be reintroduced into the production processes. The project resulted in reduced water consumption by 6,000 m3 per day from this project.
Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO)
GC has increased the efficiency of the Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) system to increase water circulation in the cooling system and reduce water withdrawal from the natural source for production. The project has contributed to the achievement of our water consumption goal of 12.2 percent of total water consumption.
Effluent Management
GC is strictly obliged to monitor its liquid discharges to maintain water quality at all production processes though the establishment and application of environmental policies and plans, namely QSHEB policy throughout the company to drive the environmental performance. We measure our quality of water discharges by complying with governmental environmental agencies and other international standards and obligations, such as Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act B.E. 2535. The Wastewater Discharge Requirements into the Central Wastewater Treatment System in Industrial Estates of Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) are also solely incorporated in the identification and measurement of pollutants. GC is aware of the impact of water discharges to the environment, so currently, the contaminated water was treated in the wastewater treatment to ensure the quality is always within effluent standard, the general effluent monitoring parameters are pH, temperature, COD, BOD, Total suspended solids (TSS), Oil and grease. In 2020, there was no such cases of water effluent that is below standard requirements reported.