On the way to rethink plastics

Chemical recycling complements mechanical recycling and can be a more sustainable solution than incineration or landfill of plastic waste. It thus contributes to a circular economy and the responsible use of resources. An LCA study conducted by Sphera for BASF concludes that chemical recycling (pyrolysis) of mixed plastic waste emits 50% less CO2 than incineration of mixed plastic waste. 

In its transition towards a circular economy, BASF is increasingly using recycled or renewable raw materials as alternatives to fossil resources at the beginning of its value chain. The alternative feedstocks are attributed to downstream products via the mass balance approach. While mass-balanced products keep all product properties unchanged compared to their conventional equivalents, they contribute to the substitution of fossil resources in BASF´s production process and may have a smaller product carbon footprint than their conventional equivalent. 

A groundbreaking way of using renewable resources in production

In ChemCycling^®, BASF uses recycled feedstock derived from plastic waste for our broad Ccycled^® product portfolio. The recycled feedstock is attributed to the certified Ccycled^® products through a mass balance approach. BASF customers have successfully introduced Ccycled^® products in various industries like (food) packaging, medical, textile and automotive.

Improve quality of Sorting with trinamiX Mobile NIR Spectroscopy Solution – boost purity with Chemetall Washing solutions and Enhance recycled polymers for their new life with IrgaCycle® additives.

Ludwigshafen, Germany / Chiuduno, Italy – KASK, the iconic Italian helmet brand, is using expandable polystyrene (EPS) granules Neopor^® Ccycled^® from BASF for the production of safety helmets for workers. In the manufacturing process of Neopor^® Ccycled^® fossil feedstocks are replaced by pyrolysis oil obtained from recycled post-consumer plastic waste through chemical recycling at the very beginning of the BASF value chain using the mass balance approach. This way, BASF is able to offer Neopor^® Ccycled^® with a Product Carbon Footprint reduced by approximately 90% compared to conventional Neopor^®. KASK is now using this more sustainable EPS to produce the internal shell of the Primero series as well as the internal shell of the Zenith X and Superplasma safety helmet series from the end of October 2024. These products feature the same high quality and safety performance and an improved product carbon footprint in comparison to using conventional EPS. By choosing these product series, which together cover the majority of helmets sold, KASK is able to make a positive impact on the circular economy.

BASF has received funding approval from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action for the construction of the world’s most powerful industrial heat pump. In the coming months, the company will therefore be able to start the preparatory construction work for the project at its Ludwigshafen site. The project is intended to make an important contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions. Today, Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, presented the funding approval to Uwe Liebelt, President European Verbund Sites, BASF SE.

We want to live up to our responsibility for climate protection. One way we do this is with our products, which enable our customers to lower CO₂ emissions. But that is not all: We also become more efficient in our production and energy use, we will increase our use of renewable energies and we will accelerate the development and deployment of new CO₂-free processes for the production of chemicals.

With Ultramid^® LowPCF (reduced CO₂ footprint/“Product Carbon Footprint”, PCF**) and Ultramid^® ZeroPCF* (CO₂ footprint of net zero greenhouse gas emissions), BASF launches two new product variants within its polyamide value chain in Europe. Greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced when compared to conventional products. BASF is offering its Ultramid^® B brand and the precursor caprolactam as ZeroPCF and LowPCF variants, as well as Ultramid^® C as LowPCF option.