Evonik has attained the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS for its speciality chemicals production site in Essen, Germany.
The certification is based on the mass balance approach, which ensures that sustainable feedstocks are used and that the supply chain is traceable.
The Essen Goldschmidt site follows other Evonik sites, such as Marl and Herne (Germany), and Mobile (Alabama, USA) to gain accreditation for its sustainable and fully traceable supply chains.
The increasing move away from fossil-based raw materials is part of the Evonik Next Generation Solutions sustainability strategy, which focuses on portfolio and innovation management, production and technology.
“Thanks to the ISCC PLUS certification for the production of speciality chemicals such as our surfactants at the Goldschmidt site in Essen, our customers from coatings and inks to adhesives, polyurethane foams and personal care will have access to a wider range of certified additives made from a higher proportion of renewable raw materials,” said Dr. Claudine Mollenkopf, head of the Specialty Additives division.
With the same performance profile and characteristics as their traditional counterparts, the new certified specialty chemicals, for instance surfactants, will help Evonik’s customers to reduce the use of fossil resources and improve the sustainability of their products, without any changes to production processes.
The speciality chemicals, mainly surfactants, produced in the newly certified Essen Goldschmidt site are often used for cleansing, foaming, emulsifying and solubilizing purposes.
They will include TEGOSTAB additives for polyurethane foams for mattresses or insulation panels, TEGO industrial coatings and inks, TEGOMER, TAGAT and TEGO PE for industrial processes and further applications in agrochemistry and personal care.
Starting in the first half of this year, existing and new customers will have access to these certified surfactants containing a significant amount of mass balanced feedstock, and consequently a lower carbon footprint.
