AkzoNobel partners with BASF to reduce the carbon footprint of high-volume paint products.

AkzoNobel is sourcing raw materials with a significantly reduced carbon footprint from BASF for its decorative paint production in the EMEA region (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa), reflecting both companies’ shared commitment to reducing Scope 3 emissions.

Demonstrating AkzoNobel’s commitment to bringing more low-carbon products into the mainstream, the agreement includes the use of BASF’s biomass balanced (BMB) ingredients. These materials require no changes to existing formulations or paint manufacturing processes. As a result, AkzoNobel can offer paints with the same high quality and performance but with a carbon footprint reduced by at least 5%.

BASF uses a mass balance approach to replace the fossil-based feedstock in the ingredients supplied to AkzoNobel with renewable resources like bionaphtha and biomethane. Certified by an independent third party, this approach allows AkzoNobel to source BASF’s acrylic binder—one of the key components in decorative paints—with a significantly lower carbon footprint.

“Integrating BASF’s BMB ingredients into our higher-volume consumer products will help us achieve a significant overall impact in terms of carbon footprint reduction,” says Wijnand Bruinsma, AkzoNobel’s Director of Sustainability. “Our partnership means the carbon footprint of any paint we produce using the BMB approach will be cut by at least 5% to begin with, compared with the same formula produced using 100% fossil-based material.”

Dr. Jörg Niebergall, Senior Vice President, Dispersions Europe, at BASF adds: “We’re proud to support AkzoNobel accelerate its sustainability agenda. Through our broad portfolio of sustainable and low carbon products, we’re enabling the company to offer its customers products with a lower carbon footprint. We also provide data, tools and expertise, empowering AkzoNobel to make informed decisions. The collaboration demonstrates the strong commitment of both companies to a more sustainable future.” 

AkzoNobel in the UK is set to launch its upgraded Dulux Easycare range in Q2 this year, featuring reduced CO2 ingredients. This marks the first time the company has used certified mass balanced materials—replacing fossil fuels with renewable raw materials—for an acrylic binder.

“We can’t drive the reduction of Scope 3 carbon emissions by ourselves; that’s why collaboration is so important,” adds Bruinsma. “Partnerships like this play a key role in making change happen quicker, and teaming up with BASF will help us create a scalable approach to more sustainable solutions.”

AkzoNobel is actively pursuing RedCert2 certification—a recognised mass balance standard in the chemical industry—for all relevant production sites across Europe.

Source: AkzoNobel