Focus on sustainability and recycling: BTC EUROPE
Advancing Sustainability in the Coatings Industry: A Closer Look at Product Carbon Footprint, BioMass Balance, and ChemcyclingTM
Sustainability has become a critical focus for businesses worldwide, and the coatings industry is no exception. As companies strive to reduce their environmental impact, three key topics have emerged: Product Carbon Footprint (PCF), BioMass Balance, and ChemCyclingTM. These topics are at the forefront of our efforts to promote sustainability and drive positive change in the industry.
Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) is a crucial measure of a product's greenhouse gas emissions throughout its life cycle. BASF recognizes the significance of PCF and has developed a digital application to calculate the cradle-to-gate PCFs for its sales products. By providing customers with this valuable information, BASF & BTC Europe enable them to make environmentally conscious purchasing decisions and understand the carbon footprint of their business activities. Moreover, PCFs also highlight opportunities for emissions reduction, such as the use of alternative raw materials.
One such approach is the BioMass Balance method, where renewable raw materials from organic waste and vegetable oils replace fossil resources in production. This method can be applied to a wide range of products, providing customers with quantifiable CO2 footprint improvements and fossil resource savings. BASF & BTC Europe market these BioMass Balanced products under the BMBcertTM portfolio, offering customers sustainable solutions without compromising on quality or performance.
ChemCyclingTM is another key initiative, aimed at transforming plastic waste into virgin-grade products. With only 20% of plastic waste being recycled globally, a more circular economy for plastics is imperative. BASF's ChemCyclingTM project utilizes pyrolysis technology to convert plastic waste into a secondary raw material called pyrolysis oil, which is then integrated into BASF's production. This approach not only saves fossil resources but also ensures that the resulting products have the same properties as conventional ones.
While PCFs, BioMass Balance, and ChemCyclingTMare important aspects of sustainability, BASF and BTC Europe recognize that a holistic assessment is necessary. Comprehensive sustainability evaluations should consider environmental, economic, and social criteria. To provide customers with a more comprehensive picture, we recommend the use of multi-criteria assessment tools like their Eco-Efficiency Analysis.
As the coatings industry embraces sustainability, we remain committed to driving innovation and collaboration to create a more sustainable future. Our initiatives empower customers to make informed choices and contribute to a more sustainable world.
