Water BASF Report 2021 Management’s Report – Water 136 Global target and measures Water in the BASF Group 2021 Million cubic meters per year Our goal is to introduce sustainable water management at our Abstraction / supply Use Discharge Verbund sites and at all production sites in water stress areas 1,695 6,881 1,503 by 2030, covering 89% of BASF’s total water abstraction. We 1 Of which in water stress areas: 1% 87% Water used in cooling processes Of which cooling water: 1,326 achieved 53.5% of our target in 2021 (2020: 46.2%). Sustainable Of which wastewater from production: 177 water management was introduced at seven additional sites in 2021 Percentage in (2020: 6). Surface water / freshwater 1,308 recirculating 81% Surface water / freshwater 1,239 cooling systems Brackish water / seawater 259 Brackish water / seawater 245 As part of sustainable water management, our sites regularly assess the water situation in the catchment area. This raises awareness Groundwater 100 229 Groundwater 1 of potential risks and impacts for the population such as water Drinking water 20 External treatment plant 18 Water used in production scarcity. Based on the assessments conducted until the end of Reusable wastewater from third parties 3 13% Consumption 2021, we did not identify any activities with a significant impact on Water from raw materials 5 Percentage of 10% water availability and quality at any site. water reused 72 Of which in water stress areas: 16% 2030 target Introduction of sustainable water management at our with various technical improvements. One example is the ethylene Water balance production sites in water stress areas and at our Verbund sites oxide plant, where a change in the pipeline route implemented in 2020 reduces the river water used for cooling purposes by around Our water abstraction totaled 1,695 million cubic meters in 2021 4.7 million cubic meters compared with the reference period (June (2020: 1,728). This demand was covered for the most part by fresh- Another important part of our sustainable water management is the 2019 to June 2020). Since then, the cooling system has operated water such as rivers and lakes (84% of water abstraction). At some continuous analysis and implementation of measures for improve- without pumps. This also saves around 360,000 kilowatt hours of sites, we use alternative sources such as treated municipal waste- ment. For instance, we use wastewater from municipal wastewater electricity compared with the reference period. water, brackish water or seawater. A small part of the water we use treatment plants to reduce our demand for freshwater at our sites in reaches our sites as part of raw materials and steam, or is released Tarragona, Spain (since 2013) and Freeport, Texas (since 2019). At Depending on the local situation, we also implement measures for in our production processes. We abstract most of the water we the Pontecchio site in Italy, we partially use rainwater, which reduced improvement at our sites’ catchment areas together with other need for cooling and production ourselves. In 2021, 5% of our total our demand for river and groundwater by 22,200 cubic meters in stakeholders. One example is the Incentivo ao Produtor de Água water demand was covered by third parties (2020: 5%). 2021. In Belgium, our Verbund site in Antwerp is a member of the program that we launched at the Guaratinguetá site in Brazil in Lerend Netwerk Water network of the Belgian chemical association 2011 together with local authorities, the Espaço ECO Foundation We predominantly use water for cooling purposes (87% of water Essenscia together with other chemical and pharmaceutical compa- and other partners. Measures such as better soil management or abstraction), after which we discharge it back to our supply sources nies. The aim is to facilitate dialog on the responsible use of water the reforestation of riverbank woodlands have since significantly with no product contact. We reduce our demand for cooling water and to develop action plans for water conservation and circular reduced surface runoff and soil erosion in the Ribeirão Guaratinguetá by recirculating as much of it as possible. To do this, we use recool- water use. At the Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany, we have catchment area. ing plants that allow water to be reused several times. Around 13% continually optimized cooling water needs over the past few years of our total water abstraction is used in production plants, for 1 Our water target also continues to take into account the sites that we identified as water stress sites in accordance with Pfister et al. (2009) prior to 2019.