BASF’s Monomers division received first ISCC+* certification in Asia-Pacific to expand portfolio of sustainable products in the region

• Sites in Onsan and Yeosu, Korea, are now ISCC+ certified for adipic acid & PA6.6 as well as MDI & TDI respectively
• The division aims to provide more sustainable solutions with a significantly improved carbon footprint to cater to the needs of the rapidly growing market in Asia

Shanghai, China, March 27, 2023 – After BASF’s Monomers division announced its ambitious sustainability roadmap in February 2023,  two of its manufacturing sites in Asia have now received an ISCC+ certification. The attainment of the certificates underlines the division’s determination to help customers in all regions reach their individual sustainability targets. This is the first ISCC+ certificate received by the division in Asia-Pacific and demonstrates its ability to offer bio-mass balance (BMB) and ChemCycling^® products with identical product performance and lower CO₂ emission to the product grades now supplied from South Korea.

“As a commodity business at the heart of chemical production, we have the potential to significantly drive the sustainable transformation of both BASF and the various customer industries we serve. These certifications show our deep commitment to enabling our customers to grow their business sustainably. We will continue to provide them with the right solutions to adapt their portfolio to the demands of the future,” said Dr. Ramkumar Dhruva, President Monomers Division, BASF.

“This is an important milestone for our journey towards low-PCF (low product carbon footprint) production. Sustainability will be our key to success and we at BASF are committed to actively lead the way in a responsible manner,” said Claudia Huang, Senior Vice President, Monomers in Asia-Pacific. The ISCC+ certified products serve industries from textiles, packaging, automotive, construction to white goods and many others with base chemicals.

“I am very pleased that our sites at Yeosu and Onsan are the first ones in Korea to receive ISCC+ certification. Additionally, for the first time an entire value chain in a country has been certified to provide low PCF adipic acid and polyamide 6.6 to our customers,” said Dr. Dschun Song, Managing Director of BASF Company Ltd., Korea. The Onsan site now is fully capable of offering BMB & ChemCycling^® products and has already processed the first customer order. More and more customers are willing to join the journey toward low-PCF and collaborate to develop sustainable products.

The current BASF bio-mass balance approach applied to adipic acid and PA 6.6 proves to reduce the respective PCFs by at least 70%*. The division continues to pioneer even lower PCF options in its product lines, and is expected to reach net zero CO₂ emissions for both adipic acid and PA 6.6 produced in Asia-Pacific by the end of 2024 and 2027 respectively.

Parallel to the certification of the Onsan site, the BASF production site in Yeosu has also been ISCC+ certified for the production of TDI and MDI. TDI is an important intermediate for the production of adhesives and foams for many industries as automotive, aviation or furniture, while MDI is an essential raw material for polyurethanes, polyamide-imide or foam, insulating foam and adhesives.

The Monomers division has major sites and more than 200 products already RedCert² or ISCC+ certified today. It aims to have additional sites certified in Asia in the coming years and will continue to expand its portfolio of certified bio-mass balanced products for its customers in the region.

More information on sustainable offers from BASF’s Monomers division is available at www.chemicals.basf.com/global/en/Monomers.html.

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 111,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €87.3 billion in 2022. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States. Further information at www.basf.com.

About BASF’s Monomers division

The Monomers division supplies a broad portfolio of large-volume monomers, basic polymers and inorganic chemicals. Major products include MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate), TDI (toluene diisocyanate), propylene oxide, caprolactam, adipic acid, hexamethylenediamine, ammonia, polyamide 6 and 6.6, nitric acid, sulfur and chlorine products, inorganic salts, urea, melamine, glues and impregnating resins. The products are used in a broad spectrum of industries, such as the automotive, furniture, construction, woodworking, food, feed, solar, packaging and textile industries. Monomers (basf.com)