CE100 Whitepaper: Enabling a Circular Economy for Chemicals – An RSB Solution Already Exists!

With the launch of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s CE100 Whitepaper on the utility of a mass balance approach for increasing circularity in the chemicals industry, RSB is pleased to see advocacy for an approach that has already been developed in the RSB system. With contributions from RSB members BASF and UPM, the CE100 whitepaper showcases a workable approach to enable the chemicals industry to benefit from the circular economy via a set of rules to ensure traceability of recycled feedstock into new products.

RSB’s multi-stakeholder community has already developed such an approach in the form of our Standard for Advanced Products which was approved in December 2018. The standard covers not only bio-based products and products produced through carbon recycling technologies, but also products that are produced in a complex chemical production setting using bio-based feedstock or recycled carbon feedstock and sets out an approach for ensuring sustainability and traceability of such systems using the approach as proposed in the CE100 Whitepaper.

A key aspect of the Standard for Advanced Products is the groundbreaking Positive Impacts approach. This new approach will showcase the real impacts – from greenhouse gas savings to non-renewable resource conservation – of a new class of Advanced Products. Some categories of RSB-certified Advanced Products will now carry claims related not to their sustainable bio-based content, but which will highlight the positive impacts of the product in terms of their climate impact, fossil resource saving and sustainable production. These claims are more scientifically robust and will help end-users and consumers to choose the most sustainable and low impact option on the market. RSB is leading that evolution with this trailblazing approach which will support producers, processors, end-users and consumers make the most sustainable – and more circular – choices.

This alignment between the goals of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and RSB in embedding maximum circularity and sustainability into the economy shows producers around the world that RSB certification is a ready-made solution for complex chemical settings.

The Standard for Advanced Products was developed by RSB and members of its standard-setting community, incorporating the voices of such diverse members and stakeholders as BASF, DuPont, WWF, European Bioplastics, SABIC, Nova Institute, NNFCC, Neste and UPM. More than 25 RSB members, external experts and stakeholders contributed to the development of the Standard, submitting over 200 comments during an 18-month process.

To learn more about the RSB Advanced Products Standard and how it can support your activities, please view our webinar here or reach out to us today for a one-on-one discussion.

“The new RSB standard for Advanced Products will be a critical standard supporting both the development of a circular and bio-based economy. It is unique in that it covers a broad range of possible feedstocks and supply chain options including bio-based products, carbon recycling and the use of bio-based feedstocks in complex integrated production systems and supply chains.” – Dr. Susanne Veith, EU Government Affairs Manager, DowDuPont Specialty Products (DuPont) Division

“BASF contributes to a world that provides a viable future with enhanced quality of life not only at present, but also for future generations. Saving resources is key for BASF and is a driving force for our circular economy activities. Independent and transparent certification systems allow credible claims and support that development. In its recently published strategy BASF has committed to CO2-neutral growth, which will translate into stronger focus on products with positive impact in terms of sustainable development. Therefore, we welcome the positive impacts approach that RSB has anchored in its new Standard for Advanced Products. This new standard supports the use of alternative feedstocks for chemical production.” – Stefan Gräter, Director Sustainable Development, BASF Petrochemicals.