ECOLOOP focuses on reducing carbon footprints through the increased use of renewable energy

The world has become increasingly aware of sustainability concerns, and businesses are also swiftly developing strategies to address the ever-changing landscape. For example, in Europe, one of the issues that has affected business is the EU-funded ECOLOOP project, which focuses on reducing carbon footprints through the increased use of renewable energy, self-consumption, and effective agricultural/forest waste management. Its objectives include enhancing biogas production from waste by combining renewable sources such as biogas, biomass, agri-PV, and geothermal energy while advancing sustainable agricultural practices. ECOLOOP promotes regional development and contributes to job creation, gender equality, and climate resilience.

One of BASF Monomers Division’s outputs in consideration of this topic and to the concerns of their customers is the development of environmentally friendly fishing net products starting from BASF's environmentally friendly basic net material, namely Ultramid® Ccycled®, as a solution to reduce CO₂ emissions. Sustainable solutions with Ultramid® Ccycled® from BASF stand for a future-oriented, mass-balanced, high-quality product that supports using recycled feedstock based on plastic waste. ChemCycling® complementary approach contributes to the circular economy of existing recycling methods, increasing overall plastic waste recycling rates—replacing fossil resources and saving CO₂ emissions against conventional plastics production with a certified mass balance.

The move to develop environmentally friendly fishing nets was also due to the concern of one of Indonesia's biggest fishing net producers, as BASF’s longtime partner in collaboration. In order to support the ECOLOOP project, they began developing a plan to reduce CO₂ emissions by modifying their internal production of fishing nets.

After approximately 15 years of working together, they acknowledge that BASF is one of the chemical companies that are most aware of dealing with sustainability issues, including the process of reducing CO₂ emissions in the production process of all its products.

Starting in early 2023, discussions are being held regarding ways that can be done to reduce CO₂ emissions, one of which is a discussion regarding Product Carbon Footprint (PCF). The PCF summarizes the total greenhouse gas emissions a product generates over the different stages of its life cycle. For example, a cradle-to-gate (partial) PCF considers all the processes from extracting resources through manufacturing precursors and making the final product itself up to the point where it leaves the company gate. A cradle-to-grave PCF covers the product's complete life cycle, including the emissions from the use phase and end-of-life of the product. Discussions regarding a detailed PCF analysis process from scope 1-3 were done so that BASF Monomers Division’s customers understand the circular economy concept that has been implemented by BASF so far.

As the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) conducted by BASF conforms with ISO standards, namely ISO 14040:2006 and ISO 14044:2006, as well as how Ultramid® Ccycled® is able to support the reduction of waste and fossil raw materials, the material fits perfectly with both the requirements of ECOLOOP project and the internal sustainability drive of our customers.