Asahi Kasei to Start Providing Carbon Footprint Data for Synthetic Rubber and Elastomers

Asahi Kasei, a diversified Japanese multinational company, 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.

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Products made from Asahi Kasei’s synthetic rubber and elastomers range from food packaging and hygienic products to numerous medical and automotive applications. This system will help us reduce CFP in both our Health Care and Materials sectors, making it a significant contribution to Asahi Kasei’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. (Photo: Business Wire)

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.

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.

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.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/

About the Asahi Kasei Corporation

The Asahi Kasei Group contributes to life and living for people around the world. Since its foundation in 1922 with ammonia and cellulose fiber businesses, Asahi Kasei has consistently grown through the proactive transformation of its business portfolio to meet the evolving needs of every age. With more than 44,000 employees around the world, the company contributes to a sustainable society by providing solutions to the world's challenges through its three business sectors of Material, Homes, and Health Care. Its Materials sector, comprised of Environmental Solutions, Mobility & Industrial, and Life Innovation, includes a wide array of products from battery separators and biodegradable textiles to engineering plastics and sound solutions. For more information, visit www.asahi-kasei.com.

Asahi Kasei is also dedicated to sustainability initiatives and is contributing to reaching a carbon neutral society by 2050. To learn more, visit https://www.asahi-kasei.com/sustainability/.

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