Products For More Sustainability

With its commitment to sustainability, BASF also focused on its product portfolio. Its products had made a contribution to society and the environment before this, however: Prominent examples are ammonia synthesis which enabled the synthetic production of fertilizers from 1913 and Styropor, BASF’s classic insulating material developed in 1951.

But unlike in the past, BASF increasingly aligned its product portfolio toward sustainability after 1994, and in an ever more systematic way. The company’s climate protection products were a milestone in this respect. These were its first products for which the contribution to sustainability was quantified throughout the BASF value chain, through the BASF corporate carbon footprint in 2008. Efficient and environmentally friendly insulating materials, such as Neopor or Basotect, were also included in this calculation, as well as plastic components for the automotive industry or materials for wind turbines (Baxxodur). While BASF customers could prevent 252 million metric tons of CO₂ emissions by using these products back then, 10 years later (2018) this sum had risen to 640 million metric tons.

Today, BASF climate protection products are among the “Accelerator” solutions, which BASF has determined since 2013 using the Sustainable Solution Steering method. This method allows the BASF portfolio to be steered on the basis of the contribution its products make to sustainability. As Accelerator products make a particular contribution to sustainability in the value chain, BASF has set an ambitious new goal: From 2019 to 2025, the company aims to increase its sales of Accelerator solutions to €22 billion.

Here is just a small selection of BASF products for more sustainability – with a history.

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Fighting pests with pheromones

In 1986, BASF obtained approval for its RAK 1 pheromone for combating the grape berry moth feared in viticulture. The artificially generated oversupply of this attractant prevented the pests from multiplying. RAK® pheromone distributors from BASF still work according to this principle of confusion today. As such, they contribute to the preservation of biodiversity and the balance of the ecosystem, which is why BASF has designated them an Accelerator solution. Here: Installing RAK distributors (2007)

More information on RAK®

Die Neopor-Platte wird an die Fassade geklebt. Der Handwerker fixiert sie durch kräftigen Händedruck. Anschließend wird das Dämmmaterial verdübelt. Abdruck honorarfrei. Copyright by BASF.

The Neopor® is applied to the façade. The craftsman presses firmly on the insulating panel to fix it in place. The insulating material is then doweled. Print free of charge. Copyright by BASF.

Efficient insulating materials

In 1997 BASF unveiled Neopor, the gray advancement of its classic white insulant Styropor, which has been in production since 1951. One new feature was the improvement of insulation performance of up to 20% achieved by admixing graphite particles. Neopor is one of BASF's Accelerator solutions for the construction industry. Here: Neopor sheets for insulating facades (2006)

More on Hexamoll® DINCH

Der Dreiwegekatalysator von BASF wandelt mehr als 99% der schädlichen Abgase aus Benzinmotoren in CO2, Stickstoff und Wasser um. Möglich wird dies durch Edelmetallpartikel, die schichtweise auf ein wabenartiges Keramik-Substrat aufgebracht werden. Damit erfüllt der Katalysator strenge Abgasnormen wie Euro 6. Vergrößerung 120:1 (bei 15 cm Bildbreite)

Driving with lower emissions

The Engelhard Corporation, which joined BASF in 2006, made a breakthrough with the first Three-Way Catalyst (TWC) in 1976. In 2013, BASF researchers discovered an even cleaner solution: the first FWC™ (Four-Way Concersion Catalyst) for gasoline engines. This new technology allows the most important groups of pollutants (hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides) and fine particles to be filtered out of exhaust gas and broken down using a single component. This is another Accelerator solution from BASF.

A small quantity with a large effect

BASF launched its new Opus cereal fungicide in 1993. Just 125 grams of its active ingredient (epoxiconazole) were sufficient to protect a hectare of grain from harmful fungi – in other words, a yogurt pot full of this active ingredient was enough to protect the area of a soccer field. The high effectiveness of Opus represented a real step forward when it comes to environmental protection. Here: Visual demonstration of the small quantity needed for a large area. Product sample and grain field (1993)

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More plastics, less weight

BASF products that adhere to this principle have been used in automotive construction since the 1950s. Although at the beginning these were used for body making and were otherwise limited to niche products such as the Meyra 200, the Spatz 200 or the Palatal Porsche of 1964, BASF plastics soon spread into more and more areas of application in the car interior and the engine compartment. Here: An intake system made of Ultramid, which is 60% lighter than its aluminum predecessors (1990)

Vitamine - Bausteine des Lebens

Vitamin B₂ is one of the vital components of human and animal nutrition. At BASF, a small fungus has been creating tons of the essential vitamin B₂ since 1990 – and all from renewable raw materials, vegetable oils and proteins. BASF had developed a new biotechnological process for this for both economic and environmental reasons.

Environmental friendliness based on water

BASF introduced the water-based 90 Line coating system from Glasurit, a BASF brand, in 1992. This was one of the first water-based coating systems in the market. The reduction of solvents and thus environmental friendliness were the focus of the 90 Line from the very beginning. Here: Colorful – car parts coated with water-based coatings from BASF (2005)

From field to factory and back again

In 1993, BASF used renewable raw materials for the production of crop protection products alongside other applications. Duplosan is one example of this. With the new generation of herbicides, BASF achieved a real breakthrough in growth substance research: In a biotechnological process, BASF was able to exclusively produce the precursor (D-lactic acid) in its effective variant using bacteria and on the basis of glucose which, in turn, is extracted from corn, potatoes and wheat. Another benefit was that only half as much Duplosan was needed per hectare to achieve the same effect on weeds as older herbicides. Here: Excerpt from an advertisement (1993)

Good washing results – without phosphate

Phosphates act as plant nutrients in bodies of water. In the mid-1970s, almost half of the phosphate load in German waters came from detergents and cleaners. However, phosphate-free detergents have relieved the pressure on the over-fertilized waters since the mid-1980s. Detergent manufacturers predominantly replace phosphates with zeolite, an insoluble sodium aluminosilicate that cannot, however, offer the customary washing properties. This problem was solved by polymer detergent additives, which BASF sold under the brand name Sokalan.

Good for engines and the environment

A long life span and low consumption are two things every motorist wants from their car engine. And this is all possible thanks to Keropur additives from BASF, which the company developed in 1994 with the key component polyisobuteneamine (PIBA). This additive ensures optimized combustion compared to conventional fuels and ultimately also leads to reduced fuel consumption and lower pollutant emissions.

Advert for BASF products for domestic use

Solutions – an overview

Colorful clothing and synthetic fertilizers or conservation of resources and environmental protection. Sometimes societal demands are urgent, at other times they are simply nice to have. Either way, the search for solutions is the engine that has driven BASF since 1865. The company’s solutions are often also milestones in its research history.