Sustainably high-quality!: Are recyclates the only way to reduce CO2?

In order to counteract man-made climate change and achieve the goals agreed in the Paris Climate Protection Agreement, a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is required. The plastics industry can and must also make an important contribution to this. Due to the well-known advantages of plastics, such as low density, easy processing and good barrier properties, plastics actively contribute in many applications to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, the plastics and rubber industry is also responsible for about 2.8% (1.4 GtCO2eq) [6] of total global greenhouse gas emissions. There are various starting points for CO2 reduction in the plastics industry. In addition to the selection of the materials themselves, the processing methods (e.g. foaming, 3D printing) or the component design (e.g. 'design for end of life') can also influence the sustainability of plastic components. As regards the choice of materials, there are again several ways to reduce CO2 which bring along their own individual advantages and disadvantages. Physical recycling (in-house, postindustrial or post-consumer) is often considered to be the only solution. With chemical recyclates and biobased polymers, however, there are other exciting alternatives that offer decisive advantages over 'classic' recyclates in terms of their availability, quality consistency and property profile. ISCC PLUS and REDcert2 are leading sustainability certification systems for biobased and recycled materials in the chemical industry. They ensure the traceability of sustainable material flows along the entire value chain and ensure that the place of origin for sources of sustainable raw materials can be traced. This in turn contributes to the protection of areas with a high carbon stock and great biodiversity (e.g. rainforests), to the sustainable management of soils and waters, as well as to the observance of human rights. On the basis of examples, specific starting points for CO2 reduction in the industry are presented. © 2023 The Authors.