SABIC launches sustainable polycarbonate film and sheet

SABIC's Functional Forms facility in Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands, has been certified under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS program to provide new LEXAN film and sheet products based on certified renewable feedstocks
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The new film and sheet products tie into the company's existing TRUCIRCLE program and address the global need for further sustainable material solutions in an increasingly circular plastics economy
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Bart Kiekens, Head of the European Electrical and Electronic Films Division, SABIC's Functional Materials business unit in Bergen op Zoom, said: "We are proud to be the first in the industry to receive ISCC PLUS certification for a renewable polycarbonate-based film and sheet product
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Our LEXAN film and sheet customers offer an effective option to strengthen their environmental balance and achieve ambitious sustainability goals
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ISCC PLUS certification recognizes the implementation of a mass balance accounting system that tracks the flow of materials in complex supply chains from raw materials to final products by following predefined transparent rules
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These rules can determine whether a product can be classified as renewable or circular
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For SABIC, this means that for every ton of renewable or recycled feedstock that is put into the production process and replaces fossil feedstocks, approximately one ton of output material can be classified as renewable or recycled feedstock
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The mass balance approach also allows OEMs to document and quantify the sustainability of their applications made with these certified materials
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In addition, SABIC conducted a life cycle analysis (LCA) to assess the environmental performance of the renewable pathway versus the traditional fossil pathway at two levels of "cradle-to-gate" and "cradle-to-gate + end-of-life", relying on PAS 2050 method for biological carbon accounting
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The results show that every kilogram of SABIC polycarbonate resin based on certified renewable feedstocks has the potential to reduce fossil consumption by up to 35% and application carbon footprint by up to 60%
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Overall, this also makes a significant contribution to SABIC's mitigation of the impact of its products on climate change
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Alda Shabanaj, Product Manager for Films and Mass Transportation Europe at SABIC, added: "Our new bio-based LEXAN film and sheet products are produced using polycarbonate resins partially derived from second-generation feedstocks that do not compete directly with the food chain.

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The resulting material can help our customers create value across multiple industries through durable and recyclable application solutions
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