Asahi Kasei to start providing carbon footprint data
Düsseldorf, 12 May 2022 – Asahi Kasei has developed a system (the System¹) to calculate the carbon footprint of products (CFP²) for the synthetic rubber and elastomers products Asadene™, Tufdene™, Asaprene™, Tufprene™, Asaflex™, Tuftec™, and S.O.E.™ with CFP data provision to customers scheduled to begin in June 2022. CFP visualization is achieved utilizing the DEEP³ (Data Exploration and Exchange Pipeline) group-wide management infrastructure as a part of the System, which also enables examination of ways to further reduce CFP.
New medium-term management plan
The Asahi Kasei Group made efforts to strengthen the business platform for sustainable growth from the viewpoint of Green, Digital, and People in its previous medium-term management plan, Cs+ for Tomorrow 2021. In its new medium-term management plan, announced on April 11, 2022, Green Transformation is positioned as one of the key areas for strengthening the management foundation, and Asahi Kasei is advancing reductions of its own GHG emissions as well as contributions to reducing the world’s GHG emissions for the realization of carbon neutrality. Therefore, from the perspective of GHG emissions reduction, Asahi Kasei has sequentially advanced the calculation of CFP for each product starting with the main products, and information provision to certain customers has begun.
As part of the effort to accelerate Green Transformation, Asahi Kasei has begun procuring butadiene derived from plastic waste and biomass as feedstock for solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber (S-SBR), a material for eco-friendly tires⁴.
Carbon Footprint Data
The System clarifies the CFP for each synthetic rubber and elastomer product, which allows customers to calculate their own CFP. This furthermore facilitates initiatives to reduce CFP throughout the supply chain as well as in society as a whole. As various regulations related to CFP such as carbon taxes are introduced, CFP data will continue to rise in importance. The System also allows various parameters of the CFP data such as span (yearly or monthly) and scope (average of products or each product individually) to be tailored to meet the diverse needs of customers.
In addition to using the System to visualize CFP, Asahi Kasei will continue to proactively strive toward the carbon neutrality of its synthetic rubber and elastomer products, including the use of sustainable feedstocks and green electricity, and efforts to obtain ISCC certification⁵.
Annotations:
¹ For the CFP calculation by the System, the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database of “IDEAv2.3”, Inventory Database for Environmental Analysis, provided by Sustainable Management Promotion Organization (SuMPO), and the emissions intensity database provided by the Japanese Ministry of the Environment are used. Data sources are scheduled to be extended.
² CFP is quantitatively calculated by combining the total GHG emissions from the entire life cycle of products and services, from raw material procurement to disposal and recycling, and then converting the figure into the equivalent amount of CO2. Asahi Kasei’s CFP calculation is based on “Cradle-to-Gate” assessment, which combines upstream emissions of materials and transportation, emissions from in-house manufacturing processes, and energy-related emissions such as electricity used during manufacturing.
³ Please refer to the press release dated May 12, 2022: Asahi Kasei establishes group-wide data management infrastructure
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/news/2022/e220512_2.html
⁴ Please refer to the press release dated November 24, 2021: Asahi Kasei to produce solution-polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber using butadiene derived from plastic waste
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/news/2021/e211124.html
⁵ ISCC (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) is an international certification system that offers solutions for the implementation and certification of waste and residue raw materials, non-bio renewables and recycled carbon materials and fuels. ISCC PLUS is a certification system that covers mainly bio-based carbon materials which are produced outside the EU and supplied globally, and to manage and ensure sustainable raw materials in the supply chain.
Information on synthetic rubber and elastomer products of Asahi Kasei
https://www.akelastomer.com/en/
Information on the sustainability of the Asahi Kasei Group
https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/
About the Asahi Kasei Corporation
Asahi Kasei Corporation is a globally active diversified technology company with operations in the Material, Homes, and Health Care business sectors. The Material sector encompasses fibers & textiles, petrochemicals, performance polymers, performance materials, consumables, battery separators, and electronic devices. The Homes sector provides housing and construction materials to the Japanese market. The Health Care sector includes pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and acute critical care devices and systems. With more than 44,000 employees around the world, the Asahi Kasei Group serves customers in more than 100 countries and achieved sales of 17.3 billion euros (2,106 billion yen) in the fiscal year 2020 (April 1, 2020 – March 31, 2021).
Asahi Kasei is “Creating for Tomorrow” with all operations sharing a common mission of contributing to life and living for people around the world. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.eu, www.asahi-kasei.com and www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.
Company Contact Europe:
Asahi Kasei Europe GmbH
Sebastian Schmidt
Fringsstrasse 17, 40221 Düsseldorf
Tel: +49 (0) 211-3399-2058
Mail: sebastian.schmidt@asahi-kasei.eu