By using sustainably produced glass fiber in its polyamide compounds, BASF has achieved a 10% reduction in its product carbon footprint.
June 12, 2024
BASF is committed to a sustainable future and has set itself the ambitious goal of reducing its Scope 3.1 emissions by 15% across its entire portfolio by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2050. This is only possible by procuring raw materials with reliable product carbon footprint data (PCF), and reducing the PCF, to boot.
One of the first steps is the partial use of glass fibers from sustainable production in BASF’s Ultramid polyamide (PA) compound portfolio. These glass fibers are produced by 3B Fibreglass, which uses green electricity to reduce its carbon footprint.
“Over the years, 3B has put a lot of effort into reducing its carbon footprint, as part of our sustainability strategy and commitment to becoming carbon neutral,” said 3B CEO Ludovic Piraux. “In addition to technical innovations within our processes, we have introduced more and more renewables in our mix. At our Battice site in Belgium, we have installed solar panels for the direct production of electricity and have green energy purchasing agreements in place. This enables the company to significantly reduce its carbon emissions, thus helping to reduce the carbon footprint throughout the value chain,” said Piraux.
Sustainable glass fiber is manufactured by 3B Fibreglass using solar energy, thereby reducing the product’s climate footprint by approximately 10%. Image courtesy of 3B Fibreglass.
The glass-fiber industry has set its sights on becoming climate neutral by 2050. By producing glass fibers with green electricity starting in Jan. 1, 2024, 3B is taking a big step in the right direction. Similar to the mass balance principle, the green electricity used in production is attributed to BASF's glass-fiber products.
BASF Pulls Out of Chinese JVs Over Uyghur Abuse Claims
By using sustainably produced glass fiber, BASF is able to reduce the PCF of its glass-fiber-reinforced products by about 10%, corresponding to savings of about 5000 metric tons of carbon per year. This equates to the annual emissions of 200 average German households.
In this way, the two raw material suppliers 3B and BASF are successfully joining forces to strengthen the industry in Europe in the long term. By sourcing sustainable glass fiber, BASF is actively helping to reduce environmental impact and enhance sustainability throughout the supply chain.
“BASF has emerged as a frontrunner in the sustainability sector by taking multiple measures,” said Maximilian Lehenmeier, sustainability expert at BASF. “By using glass fibers produced by 3B with green electricity, BASF is underlining its commitment to mitigating climate change. Furthermore, this is one more step in reducing BASF’s Scope 3.1 emissions. BASF's use of glass fibers in various durable applications also contributes to sustainability in the customer industries, as Ultramid compounds are especially valued for their durability, strength, and versatility. This example marks another milestone on our plastics journey toward a more sustainable future,” said Lehenmeier.
Stephen Moore
Stephen has been with PlasticsToday and its preceding publications Modern Plastics and Injection Molding since 1992, throughout this time based in the Asia Pacific region, including stints in Japan, Australia, and his current location Singapore. His current beat focuses on automotive. Stephen is an avid folding bicycle rider, often taking his bike on overseas business trips, and a proud dachshund owner.
You May Also Like
Jun 12, 2024
Jun 12, 2024
Jun 12, 2024
Paris Just Says ‘Non’ to Single-use Plastics at Summer Olympics
Borealis Has a New CEO
Breaking News in Flexible Packaging June 2024
Bioplastics News Stream
Copyright © 2024 All rights reserved. Informa Markets, a trading division of Informa PLC.