BASF is presenting a comprehensive product portfolio of selected engineering plastics and polyurethanes with a significantly reduced carbon footprint (PCF) at the K 2022 trade fair.

This presentation includes a range of Ultramid A and B, Ultradur, Ultraform, Elastollan, Elastopir and Elastocool families - all with PCF reductions of at least 30% compared to similar standard products while maintaining identical chemical and physical properties. Some lowPCF products, such as isocyanates, have a CO2e footprint close to zero.

“To shape a more sustainable future with plastics together with our customers and partners, we need improvements at all stages of the plastics cycle. This is what BASF's Plastics Journey is about,” says Jürgen Becky, Senior Vice President, Performance Materials Europe, BASF. “The sustainable production of plastics also helps to achieve this. Here is where our new lowPCF product portfolio comes into play.”

All products currently available from the lowPCF portfolio are certified according to the mass balance approach in line with the REDcert2 standard. The chemical and physical properties are identical to conventional products. Due to the already completed certification, the lowPCF products are available for the European market at short notice and within the usual delivery times.

From the start, the new BASF lowPCF portfolio comprises various product families of engineering plastics and polyurethanes. This product diversity means there is no standard way to reduce emissions. Instead, the assessment of each product uses a different approach to determine where significant CO2e savings is possible during production. 

However, all lowPCF products have one feature in common: the use of biomethane as a feedstock. Biomethane replaces the standard fossil raw material naphtha (natural gasoline) and is allocated to the respective lowPCF product using the mass balance approach. “In addition, green electricity is used in the production of lowPCF products at those sites, where it is available,” says Dr. Gregor Daun, Strategy Carbon Management, BASF. “The use of glass fibers and other additives with a reduced CO2e footprint is in preparation and will further improve the PCF of the products in the future.”