Dow Polyurethanes moves towards sustainable future


12/30/2022


Consumers are increasingly aware of their carbon and circular footprint, from the pillows we sleep on to the cars we drive to get from A to B and the sports surfaces we play on, and are actively seeking solutions that can help make their daily activities more sustainable.

Similarly, each stakeholder in the manufacturing value chain is looking for ways to achieve their own sustainability goals while also providing environmentally conscious customers with innovative solutions that contribute to a more sustainable future for all.

LET'S START AT THE BEGINNING
It all starts with the raw material, in this case the polyols and isocyanates used to create the rigid and flexible foams. The majority of the feedstock currently used to produce these raw materials is derived from fossil fuels.

Given that the end products range from automotive to commercial and domestic appliances, bedding and furniture, and footwear, to name a few, the opportunity to replace fossil-based feedstock is significant.

To reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, we must consider alternative raw materials derived from non-competing food sources and circular feedstocks derived from waste sources.

It is possible to trace the flow of sustainable materials through complex value chains and attribute it using verifiable bookkeeping by implementing an externally certified mass balance chain of custody method.

In fact, Dow currently has three European Polyurethanes (PU) production sites in the Netherlands and Germany that have International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS recognition for strict feedstock tracking through the mass balance chain of custody.

"These three production sites can process sustainable feedstocks from our ISCC PLUS certified crackers to make circular or bio-circular polyols. Customers looking for low carbon and circular solutions can put them to use without the need for product re-qualification."
- Marcel Moeller, Global Sustainability Director, Dow Polyurethanes, CAV & POPG

With the early success of the three production sites, we are now working to certify all of our European Polyurethanes (PU), Chlor Alkali Vinyl (CAV), Propylene Oxide, and Propylene Glycols (POPG) sites.

All of this is part of a long-term strategy to make our chemistries the material of choice for the future by addressing sustainability throughout the product lifecycle. We have a growing number of solutions to help our customers meet their sustainability goals, including innovation programs to recycle end-of-life PU waste streams.

Working together, we hope to make customers and end-users sleep a little easier at night by providing pillows with a lower carbon footprint.