Chemicals
Petrochemicals
Styrenics
EPS by BASF
Sustainability
ChemCycling® Approach

Petrochemicals

ChemCycling®

ChemCycled Intermediates

With the mass-balanced raw material Styropor® Ccycled®, BASF demonstrates how circular economy and technological innovation can be combined. The material already meets future requirements such as the use of recycled content by 2030 and actively supports the transition to a functioning circular economy—without compromising on quality, safety, or cost-effectiveness. 

Styropor® Ccycled® offers all the proven benefits of expanded polystyrene, including high product protection, low weight, and an excellent cost-performance ratio. Existing applications can continue unchanged, and no additional investments are required. 

As part of the ChemCycling® approach, fossil resources are fully replaced at the beginning of production with recycled feedstock derived from plastic waste. This conserves fossil resources and reduces the carbon footprint. Styropor® Ccycled® is therefore a future-proof solution that meets ecological and economic requirements alike.

People reaching for packaged products in a supermarket aisle.
The Mass Balance Approach
We continue to rely on the mass balance approach in our production: many BASF value chains begin in synthesis gas plants or steam crackers.
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In BASF’s ChemCycling™ project, plastic waste is transformed into pyrolysis oil using a thermochemical process. The oil can be fed in the BASF Verbund, replacing fossil resources. Using a mass balance approach, new products are manufactured with it. These have the same properties as products from fossil raw materials. BASF works together with partners such as Quantafuel, a startup headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Quantafuel is specialized in the pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste and the integrated purification of the resulting oil. Dr. Michael Bachtler (right), who is working on BASF’s ChemCycling™ project, and Rasmus Kærsgaard (left), Plant Director at Quantafuel in Quantafuel’s pyrolysis and purification plant in Skive, Denmark.
ChemCycling® 
Recycling plays an increasingly important role due to limited resources, growing sustainability requirements on the markets and regulatory developments.
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