TobaccoReporter logo

Tag: carbon emissions

  • Netherlands Provided PMI €1M for Subsidized Carbon Improvements

    Netherlands Provided PMI €1M for Subsidized Carbon Improvements

    The Dutch government awarded more than €1 million in climate subsidies to Philip Morris between 2023 and 2025 under its VEKI program, which supports industrial investments aimed at reducing carbon emissions. The funding was used at the company’s Bergen op Zoom factory to replace a natural gas installation with a heat pump system that reuses waste heat from production, improving energy efficiency and lowering emissions. Philip Morris received €373,000 in 2023, €560,000 in 2024, and €103,000 in 2025, according to Dutch broadcaster RTL Z.

    The subsidies drew attention because they were awarded to a tobacco manufacturer despite the Netherlands’ broader efforts to reduce smoking through higher tobacco taxes and tighter retail restrictions. The Ministry of Climate and Green Growth said the sustainability program operates independently of tobacco control policy, arguing that while tobacco production remains legal, manufacturers are eligible for climate funding if they meet the scheme’s requirements. The ministry emphasized that the subsidies support emissions reductions rather than tobacco production.

  • Microalgae to Reduce Emissions at PM Korea

    Microalgae to Reduce Emissions at PM Korea

    Image: Regina

    Philip Morris International will establish a demonstration facility for carbon capture and utilization technology at its factory in Yangsan, North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, according to the Korea Environment Corp. (KECO), reports Korea Bizwire.

    The facility will leverage the carbon dioxide absorption of microalgae, which is expected to reduce the factory’s annual carbon emissions by 2.15 tons.

    The facility will operate solely on solar power and utilize wastewater as well as repurpose the microalgae as fertilizer or feed after use, providing the repurposed products free of charge to local communities.

    The site and funding were provided by the South Korean arm of PMI, coordinated by KECO, and research and development support were provided by the Korea Environment and Merchandise Testing Institute.