Method for the path to circularity

With the mass balance approach, which Covestro supports, fossil and different alternative raw materials can be processed together and the proportions can be allocated to the finished product through accounting. This enables the transformation to a circular economy to be advanced quickly and transparently.

The mass balance approach supports compliance with environmental goals and requirements. The background is that governments and industry associations are increasingly setting targets and standards for the proportion of recycled and renewable content in products to improve their carbon footprint and advance the circular economy for plastics.

The mass balance approach is considered a verifiable and transparent concept that is applied worldwide and supported by major industry associations such as Cefic and Plastics Europe in Europe or ACC in the USA. And with ISCC PLUS, there is a globally recognized certification system specifically developed for the bioeconomy and circular economy.

  • Benefits for Our Customers

  • A broad range of industries

  • Our Mass Balance Approach

Create your own high-performing, more sustainable products at scale

…helping you and your customers reach Scope 3 targets and ESG goals!

Move ahead of the competition by acting now

…and secure your access to more sustainable solutions and future partnerships!

Covestro is fully implementing this future-oriented approach. By applying e.g. ISCC PLUS certification, we offer a clear and verifiable method for the use and allocation of alternative materials to our products.

This increases our credibility and trust in our sustainability claims. Such transparency is crucial for consumers, industry, and other stakeholders who demand accountability and verifiable information regarding environmental practices.

Covestro is also committed to aligning the mass balance methodology with real chemical processes. This approach ensures that claims regarding alternative raw-material share are credible and verifiable. At the same time, it promotes scalability and compliance with future regulatory frameworks.

For further details, please refer to our Mass Balance Position Paper (opens in a new tab).

Our mass balance solutions offer customers in key regions an essential portfolio of renewable and recycled attributed building blocks.

These transparently attributed, ISCC PLUS-certified mass balanced materials enable players in a variety of industries to create their own high-performance, more sustainable products at scale while improving their environmental footprint. They are part of our CQ materials, which contain an attributed share of at least 25 percent renewable or recycled raw materials.

In doing so, we create sustainable value and a competitive advantage by meeting the increasingly urgent needs of consumers, governments and investors for climate neutrality and circular economy of materials.

The CQ mass balanced solutions are beneficial in many ways for sustainability-focused customers.

Covestro offers an increasing selection of mass balanced products for a wide range of applications. Whether it's the high-performance plastic polycarbonate, components for foams, coatings, adhesives, films, thermoplastic polyurethanes and many other materials – customers will find numerous opportunities for an effortless switch from fossil raw materials to alternative raw materials.

Covestro can process mass balance raw materials globally in existing manufacturing systems. To this end, the company enters into partnerships with specialized suppliers, most recently with Encina (opens in a new tab), Neste (opens in a new tab) and Borealis (opens in a new tab).

The mass balance approach supports compliance with environmental goals and customer requirements. Legislators and industry associations are increasingly setting targets and standards for the share of recycled and renewable content in products to reduce their carbon footprint and advance the circular economy for plastics.

The mass balance approach is considered a verifiable and transparent concept that is applied worldwide and supported by major industry associations such as Cefic and Plastics Europe in Europe or ACC in the USA. At EU level, it is increasingly recognized as a method in regulations such as the Single-Use Plastics Directive and the End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation as well as by key industry eco-labels such as EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool).

And with ISCC PLUS (opens in a new tab), there is a globally recognized certification system specifically developed for the bioeconomy and circular economy.

With the mass balance approach, alternative raw materials and fossil raw materials can be processed together.

Further Information

  • Bio-based Raw Materials

    Plastics can be produced using plants from sustainable cultivation as a substitute for crude oil. Covestro offers numerous corresponding products.

  • Recycled Raw Materials

    Plastic waste must increasingly be kept in circulation. Covestro is driving the use of recyclates in production.

  • CO₂-based Raw Materials

    Carbon dioxide is harmful to the climate, but useful as a raw material. Covestro uses the gas in plastics production.

  • Alternative Raw Materials

    Plastics are still predominantly based on fossil raw materials. Covestro is increasingly using alternative sources: biomass, recyclates, and CO₂.

Choose Covestro as your go-to-partner

…with credible solutions to pioneer a fully circular economy for value co-creation!

  • Sustainability for foam

    With bio-circular attributed materials, mass-balance TDI, we offer our customers the ideal foam for next-gen mattresses.

  • More sustainable TDI

    Mass balance is key for the transition to a circular economy along the value chain.

  • Covestro Vietnam Partners with Far East Foam to introduce First TDI CQ Mass-Balanced in APAC

    Mass Balance: A New Concept in the Local Market

  • Low carbon Desmodur®

    Certified low carbon Desmodur® CQ MB enabled Selena Group to create its Ultra Fast 70 low emission one component foam.

  • Low carbon PU insulation

    Our climate neutral Desmodur® CQ MS enabled Recticel Impact, a PU insulation board range with 43% lower CO 2 emissions.

  • Makrolon® RE resins

    Makrolon® RE produced with renewable electricity can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions, as low as zero, from cradle to gate.

Covestro will gradually reduce the share of fossil raw materials in production and thus help its customers in numerous industries achieve their sustainability goals. To this end, we want to use all suitable alternative raw materials, whether bio-based or recycled. One method to achieve these goals is the mass balance approach.

This method allows alternative and fossil raw materials to be processed together without having to build new production facilities. In the end, the share of alternative building blocks can be correctly allocated to the final products on an accounting basis.

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