Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
LANXESS supports pathways towards a more resource- and energy-efficient production, while at the same time the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle overall.
The leather business is one example how we drive an already sustainable and resource-efficient process even further. Leather, in general, is the prime example of a recycled product. For more than 100 years, the leather industry has been creating a durable and versatile material from a by-product of meat production. However, in order to protect the environment in the long term, production must also develop into a recycling industry in which technology and ecology combine. With the "Sustainable Leather Management" initiative, LANXESS is regarded as a pioneer in future-oriented leather production, for which the Group designs environmentally compatible processes. A waste product from the tannery, the so-called shavings, is recycled. Every year, around 600,000 tons of this would end up in the landfill site. Thanks to an innovative solution from LANXESS, the alleged waste is now being processed to produce a new, improved class of retanning agents: the X-Biomer brand products are made from renewable raw materials, reduce wastewater pollution and are biodegradable.
Under the title “Resource-efficient manufacturing of leather chemicals” (ReeL), LANXESS leather business unit is working with the Leverkusen-based research institute INVITE to develop a modular pilot plant, that can use shavings previously disposed and organic biomass to create X-Biomer brand retanning agents for manufacturing leather.
Further examples how LANXESS supports SDG 12:
Global dangerous goods and transport
Uniform standards in Production
Target(s):
- Emissions: 25% decrease in emissions of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC) by the end of 2025 (Base year: 2015)
- Energy efficiency: 25% increase in energy efficiency in relation to volume sold by the end of 2025 (Base year: 2015)
- Continuous reduction in environmental incidents
