Performance Polymers
Sustainability
At BASF Performance Materials, we are dedicated to forging a sustainable future, a commitment we call #OurPlasticsJourney. And we invite you to join us on this journey.
Our passion lies in making a meaningful impact on both the environment and society. We believe our high-performance plastics are key to not only delivering sustainable solutions but also enhancing the success of your products.
Are you curious about...
Product Carbon Footprint
Circularity
Recyclability
These questions can be complex and challenging to address, as your journey toward sustainability largely depends on your unique requirements.
We’re here to help you navigate the options and identify which sustainability solutions align best with your needs.
Together, we will discover the optimal path.
Discover our sustainability offerings
Our sustainability portfolio features mass-balanced products made from biomass (BioMass Balance) and recycled raw materials (ChemCycling®), as well as their combination (Combi-claims).
Additionally, we provide bio-based raw materials, recyclable options, compostable and biodegradable biopolymers, and products designed with a reduced carbon footprint (low PCF and zero PCF).
Product Carbon Footprint
Reduce the carbon footprint of your products without compromising performance. BASF offers solutions ranging from biomass-balanced materials to reducedPCF, LowPCF and ZeroPCF products that help customers lower greenhouse gas emissions.Biomass balanced products offer BASF customers a differentiation opportunity such as a quantifiably improved CO2 footprint and savings of fossil resources. Customers can rely on the identical product quality and performance to which they are accustomed to and benefit from a sustainable drop-in solution, making a conscious contribution to environmental protection.
BASF's dedicated bio-based portfolio offers solutions for multiple applications. Either as substitute for a fossil alternative (so called drop-ins) to reduce the carbon footprint or new products using their unique properties that can either not or not cost-efficiently be achieved with a fossil feedstock.
BASF offers different levels of product carbon footprint (PCF) reduction according to your needs. With sustainable drop-in solutions, the product has the same quality and performance than the standard one.
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From 10% PCF reduction compared to conventional BASF product.
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Products incorporate active PCF reduction measures such as the use of renewable electricity, low-PCF feedstock or mass-balance attribution.
- LowPCF: From 30% PCF reduction compared to a defined baseline (source, year, methodology) that must be clearly specified and communicated.
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ZeroPCF: Products with a Carbon Footprint below or equal to 0.0 kg CO₂e/kg.
Circularity
BASF supports a circular economy through mechanical recycling, chemical recycling and mass balance solutions that keep valuable raw materials in use for longer.
BASF uses recycled feedstock derived from plastic waste that is attributed to the certified Ccycled® products through a mass balance approach.
BASF has been researching biodegradable, bio-based and certified compostable biopolymers for more than 30 years. The continuous development of these high-performance plastics takes place in close cooperation with customers, research institutes and local authorities. The focus always lies on the biopolymer's best environmental performance in regard to advancing organic recycling, no matter if the material contains fossil or renewable resources.
Recyclability
Design products with their next life in mind. BASF develops materials and collaborates across value chains to improve recyclability, enable closed-loop systems and support compliance with emerging circular economy requirements.A circular economy of plastics requires them to be recyclable, in order to be transformed into recycled content or alternative raw materials for new products. Therefore, the importance of recycling is present from the design phase. At BASF, we help you developing products that contribute to the circular economy.
What other customers say?
Why you can trust us
BASF has a successful track-record of sustainability efforts! Since 1990, we have halved our carbon dioxide emissions while doubling our sales volumes.
And the best part? We are confident that what we've achieved over the past three decades is just the beginning; we are determined to reach even greater heights in the future!
From 2030 onwards, we further intensify our actions to reduce our CO2 emissions. For Performance Materials, it means:
- Switching all our sites to green electricity
- Transition to more environmentally friendly blowing agents for PU
- Implement low carbon steam and investigate the use of heat pumps
- Continuous Operational Excellence
BASF’s Performance Materials has a two-fold target for 2030:
- The carbon management measures will bring the emissions (scope 1 & 2) down by another 25% compared to 2018 and scope by 15% compared to 2022 for the scope 3.1.
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At the same time, we want to reach a 20% sales share of Close-The-Loop Solutions (biodegradable/compostable products and products with at least 20% of recycled or bio-based content).
This is only when all levers and measures will be used to the greatest extent that BASF will consider offsetting emissions to reach its final goal of being net zero.
From 1990 to 2018, we have reduced by half our carbon emissions while doubling our sales volumes.
BASF Performance Materials Production Sites and R&D Centers Network
APAC
- 20 production sites
- 6 R&D centers
- 5 sites using green electricity
- 8 sites certified ISCC+ / RedCERT²
North America
- 14 production sites
- 2 R&D centers
- 8 sites using green electricity
- 3 sites certified ISCC+ / RedCERT²
EMEA
- 10 production sites
- 3 R&D centers
- 8 sites using green electricity
- 8 sites certified ISCC+ / RedCERT²
South America
- 3 production sites using green electricity
- 1 R&D center
Stories, News and Events
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Consult with an expert
Self-service solutions:
FAQ
Q: What sustainable material solutions are available for high-performance plastics?
BASF Performance Materials offers several approaches to support more sustainable plastic applications, including biomass-balanced products, bio-based raw materials, mechanically recycled materials, chemical recycling solutions and materials with reduced product carbon footprints. The portfolio addresses three key areas: reducing product carbon footprints, advancing circularity and improving recyclability.
Q: How can the product carbon footprint of plastics be reduced?
The product carbon footprint of plastics can be reduced through measures such as the use of renewable electricity, alternative feedstocks, low-carbon-footprint raw materials and mass-balance approaches. BASF Performance Materials offers different levels of PCF reduction, including ReducedPCF, LowPCF and ZeroPCF solutions.
Q: What do ReducedPCF, LowPCF and ZeroPCF mean?
These terms describe different levels of product carbon footprint reduction in the BASF portfolio as well as how they compare to conventional products. ReducedPCF products start from a 10% PCF reduction compared with the conventional BASF product. LowPCF products achieve at least a 30% reduction compared with a clearly defined baseline. ZeroPCF products have a product carbon footprint of ≤ 0.0 kg CO₂e/kg.
Q: What is ChemCycling® and how do Ccycled® products support circularity?
ChemCycling® is BASF's approach to chemical recycling. Recycled feedstock derived from plastic waste is used in BASF's production system and attributed to certified Ccycled® products through a third-party certified mass balance approach. This provides an additional route for using plastic waste as an alternative feedstock.
Q: How can recycled or renewable feedstocks replace fossil raw materials in plastics?
Fossil raw materials can be replaced by alternative feedstocks, such as renewable or recycled raw materials, through the mass balance approach. In BASF's integrated production system, the alternative feedstock is attributed to certified products via third-party verified mass balance certification, helping to reduce the consumption of fossil resources and support circularity.
Q: Can more sustainable plastics offer the same performance as conventional materials?
Yes. Some sustainability solutions are designed as drop-in alternatives that maintain the same quality, performance and specifications as the corresponding conventional material while supporting sustainability objectives.
Q: How do I choose the right sustainable material for my application?
The right material depends on the application's technical requirements and sustainability objective. Key considerations include whether the priority is to reduce the product carbon footprint, replace fossil feedstocks, use recycled content, improve circularity or enable recyclability. BASF Performance Materials offers different solutions across these areas to address application-specific requirements.