BASF switches to bio-based ethyl acrylate
BASF switches its portfolio to bio-based Ethyl Acrylate (EA), with which the product carbon foodprint can be reduced by 30 %.
The chemical company is switching its production to biobased ethyl acrylate (EA) from the 4th quarter of 2024. With a 14C traceable bio-based content of 40 % according to DIN EN 16640 and a low product carbon footprint (PCF), bio-based EA supports customers worldwide in achieving their sustainability goals. The product offers a PCF reduction of ~30 % compared to fossil ethyl acrylate. In addition to regular bio-based EA, the company also offers bio-based ethyl acrylate BMB ISCC Plus. Here, the remaining carbon content from fossil acrylic acid is ISCC PLUS certified, and by applying the biomass balance approach (BMB), this product variant offers an even further reduced carbon footprint. The chemical and technical specifications of the new bio-based product are identical to those of the traditional fossil-based version. „From the 4th quarter of 2024, we will no longer be selling fossil EA and will only be offering bio-based ethyl acrylate in future,” says Dr. Reiner Geier, Senior Vice President Industrial Petrochemicals Europe. The bio-based EA primarily uses sustainable bioethanol from European sources with grain as the raw material. The chemical company applies strict sustainability criteria for the material utilisation of biomass. The bioethanol purchased by the company is not in competition with food production: bioethanol is mainly produced from residues from starch production, low-grade grain or molasses, none of which can be used in food production. Grain that is neither suitable for food nor animal feed can also be used for bioethanol production. Bio-based EA has a wide range of applications and can be used in a variety of polymer dispersion applications, with the coatings and adhesives industries being the primary target sectors.
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