BASF launches a new service offering for its plastic additives customers

BASF launches a new service offering for its plastic additives customers

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF launches a new service offering, RegXcellence, for its plastic additives customers which enables targeted access to a range of global regulatory support, said the company.

RegXcellence provides digital solutions and simplifies regulatory issue management with advisory support to accelerate innovation opportunities. The regulatory landscape changes constantly. It is increasingly challenging for global businesses to navigate the complex regulatory frameworks whilst remaining compliant.

"As a leading global producer of plastic additives, we leverage our extensive experience in the plastic industry and strong knowledge of product stewardship and chemical legislation to stay ahead of the evolving regulatory trends. We proactively support our customers to ensure responsible and appropriate use of our additive solutions,” says Dr. Thomas Kloster, President, Performance Chemicals, BASF. “With the extension of the successful RegXcellence service to include plastic additives, we now enable our customers to benefit from our extensive regulatory service and expertise. Together, we can mitigate business risks, accelerate innovation, and achieve sustainable growth through regulatory compliance."

As this service expands, plastic additives customers will have access to a convenient digital solution to access regulatory documents. A global community of regulatory experts also evaluates relevant environmental, health and safety data. These experts are available to support customers when it comes to registration services or process and substance consulting. In addition, specific regulatory trainings are offered.

BASF already offers RegXcellence services to the customers of its fuel and lubricant solutions, plasticizers, pharma solutions and human nutrition businesses. RegXcellence for plastic additives is part of the VALERAS™ portfolio. With VALERAS, BASF is committed to increasing the sustainability of plastics along the entire polymer value chain with innovative solutions and offerings from its plastic additives business.

As MRC wrote before, BASF will build a battery recycling prototype plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, at the site of its cathode active materials (CAM) plant.

We also remind that n June, 2021, Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber, and BASF announced the intention to expand their businesses with the production of styrene monomer (SM) based on circular feedstock. Trinseo has procured first supplies of SM based on circular feedstock from BASF for use in its Solution-Styrene Butadiene Rubber (S-SBR) and polystyrene (PS) products. Trinseo supplies S-SBR to major tyre manufacturers while its PS products are used in applications such as food packaging and appliances. The first few customers have already processed the material, said the company.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
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SAPREF refinery to shut operations indefinitely in March

SAPREF refinery to shut operations indefinitely in March

MOSCOW (MRC) -- South Africa's largest refinery, SAPREF, a 50/50 joint venture between oil majors bp and Shell will pause operations indefinitely on March 22 as its owners consider selling the plant, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Situated in the east coast city of Durban, SAPREF has a nameplate capacity of 180,000 bpd and accounts for around 35% of the refining capacity in Africa's most industrialized economy, a net importer of petroleum products. "The decision has been taken to allow an informed finalization on the various options available to the shareholders, a sale option being the most preferred," said the statement.

"Until decisions about the future of the plant have been made – including a possible change of ownership – the SAPREF shareholders are unable to commit to further investment in the refinery," the operators said.

In September, South Africa's petroleum industry body SAPIA warned the country's refinery capacity could become obsolete within two years as the government pushed to introduce rules meant to reduce sulfur emissions from 2023.

The South African Petroleum Industry Association, which represents oil firms such as bp and Shell that operate local refineries, has deadlocked with government in talks to finance the upgrade of six refineries to cleaner fuels at an estimated cost of USD3.9 B.

As MRC informed previously, in April 2021, SAPREF let a contract to KBR Inc. to provide technology for an upgrade of the 33,000-b/d FCC unit at its 180,000-b/d refinery in Durban, South Africa. As part of the contract, KBR will license its Catalyst Regeneration technology as well as deliver basic engineering, detailed engineering, and proprietary equipment for the FCC regenerator project, which will enable SAPREF to improve the unit’s reliability and integrity by optimizing catalyst and air distribution.

SAPREF, situated near Durban along the east coast, is a 50/50 joint venture between BP and Shell with a refining capacity of around 8.5 million tons a year. It accounts for 35% of the refining capacity in Africa’s most advanced economy, which is a net importer of petroleum products.
MRC

Marathon sets 2030 target to cut absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions

Marathon sets 2030 target to cut absolute Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Marathon Petroleum Corp. has established a 2030 target to reduce absolute Scope 3 – Category 11 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 15% below 2019 levels, according to CISION.

The new Scope 3 target further enhances MPC's GHG disclosures, which include reporting aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (since 2017), Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions intensity target (since 2020), methane emissions intensity target (since 2020), third-party verification of Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions (since 2020), CDP long-form disclosure (since 2021), Scope 3 disclosure (since 2021), and third-party verification of Scope 3 emissions (since 2021).

"Our Scope 3 reduction target is part of our commitment to continuously improve our environmental performance while meeting society's energy needs sustainably," said MPC President and Chief Executive Officer Michael J. Hennigan. "As the energy industry evolves, we are positioning ourselves to continue delivering positive results in an energy-diverse future."

MPC's Scope 3 target covers "Category 11: Use of Sold Products," for products manufactured at the company's refineries. Informed by guidance from the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi) and IPIECA, the calculation of Scope 3, Category 11 emissions is based on refinery yields because MPC's refinery yields are larger than marketed volumes.

As MRC informed earlier, in May, 2021, US refiner Marathon Petroleum Corp said its board had approved the conversion of the Martinez refinery in California to a renewable diesel plant. Besides, the company made a final investment decision regarding this project. Martinez, once complete, will be one of the largest renewables facilities in the country.

Ethylene and propylene are the main feedstocks for the production of polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), respectively.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,265,290 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2021, up by 14% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is a leading, integrated, downstream energy company headquartered in Findlay, Ohio. The company operates the nation's largest refining system. MPC's marketing system includes branded locations across the United States, including Marathon brand retail outlets.
MRC

BASF cooperates on mattress recycling

BASF cooperates on mattress recycling

MOSCOW (MRC) -- BASF and foam specialist NEVEON are working together to further develop the recycling of mattresses, said the company.

The aim is to establish a closed product loop for mattresses. Currently, discarded mattresses are mainly thermally recycled or disposed of in landfills. BASF and NEVEON want to change this and return mattress foams to the product life cycle. As early as this year, the two companies plan to obtain the first pilot quantities of recycled mattress foams made from collected used mattresses. The next step will then be to transfer the recycling to a larger scale in subsequent years.

BASF is developing a wet chemical recycling process for used mattresses made of flexible polyurethane. Initial small-scale trials have been very promising. The original polyols can be recovered from the used mattress foams and used again to produce high-quality flexible foam blocks. The quality of these flexible foam blocks made from recycled polyurethane are equivalent to those made from conventional materials from fossil raw material sources. Thus, high-quality new mattresses can be produced from alternative polyurethane.

"For the recycling of mattresses, cooperation between all stages along the value chain is crucial. Together with NEVEON, we want to build a partner network and close the loop step by step," explains Dr. Sven Crone, responsible for the European business for isocyanates & precursors at BASF. NEVEON CEO Oliver Bruns adds: "The future bears the name circular economy. We as an industry need to drive the transformation to a circular system where products at the end of their life cycle are not waste, but valuable raw material and feedstock for new products. I am therefore pleased to make an important contribution here together with BASF and other partners."

As MRC wrote before, BASF will build a battery recycling prototype plant in Schwarzheide, Germany, at the site of its cathode active materials (CAM) plant.

We also remind that n June, 2021, Trinseo, a global materials company and manufacturer of plastics, latex binders, and synthetic rubber, and BASF announced the intention to expand their businesses with the production of styrene monomer (SM) based on circular feedstock. Trinseo has procured first supplies of SM based on circular feedstock from BASF for use in its Solution-Styrene Butadiene Rubber (S-SBR) and polystyrene (PS) products. Trinseo supplies S-SBR to major tyre manufacturers while its PS products are used in applications such as food packaging and appliances. The first few customers have already processed the material, said the company.

BASF is the leading chemical company. It produces a wide range of chemicals, for example solvents, amines, resins, glues, electronic-grade chemicals, industrial gases, basic petrochemicals and inorganic chemicals. The most important customers for this segment are the pharmaceutical, construction, textile and automotive industries.
MRC

Braskem and Nexus to jointly convert plastic films into circular feedstock

Braskem and Nexus to jointly convert plastic films into circular feedstock

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Braskem S.A., the largest polyolefins producer in the Americas and leading producer of biopolymers in the world, has announced its investment in Nexus Circular LLC, according to SpecialChem.

Using a proprietary advanced recycling technology, Nexus converts a range of hard-to-recycle plastics especially landfill bound plastic films into its circular feedstocks which can then be converted back into virgin plastics (fully circular).

Nexus has optimized the technology to create a highly efficient and economic system providing cost-effective, superior quality and environmentally friendly products for its partners and customers.

Mark Nikolich, CEO, Braskem America, stated, "At Braskem we have a clear, long-term vision which is committed to a Carbon Neutral Circular Economy where nothing is wasted, and everything is transformed. A critical element of achieving this vision is investing in pathways that advance the circular conversion of hard-to-recycle plastic waste to valuable new materials, diverting it from landfills and improving our environmental footprint."

"Nexus shares our vision for accelerating the commercialization of advanced recycling with their own proprietary innovations and we couldn't be more excited to be a new investor in their journey," added Nikolich.

Eric Hartz, president and co-founder at Nexus Circular said, "We are so pleased to have Braskem join Nexus' advanced recycling endeavors and receive their support to accelerate our impact and growth worldwide."

The present investment in Nexus is one component of Braskem's strategy to drive plastics circularity, which includes projects aimed at recycling infrastructure, mechanical recycling, and advanced recycling - all of which are critical to meeting Braskem's and our clients' ESG commitments in the years to come.

In addition to the expansion of Braskem's recycled product portfolio in 2021, Braskem is also a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, The Recycling Partnership's Polypropylene Recycling Coalition and Cyclyx.

Braskem is strongly committed to a Carbon Neutral Circular Economy where nothing is wasted, and everything is transformed. To support this vision for the future Braskem has clearly stated targets for growing the company's recycled content product portfolio to sales of 300,000 tons by 2025 and 1 million tons by 2030.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 2,265,290 tonnes in the first eleven months of 2021, up by 14% year on year. Shipments of all grades of ethylene polymers increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 1,363,850 tonnes in January-November, 2021, up by 25% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased, whereas supply of injection moulding PP random copolymers decreased significantly.

Braskem S.A. produces petrochemicals and generates electricity. The Company produces ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylenes, butadiene, butene, isoprene, dicyclopentediene, MTBE, caprolactam, ammonium sulfate, cyclohexene, polyethylene theraphtalat, polyethylene, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
MRC