Environmental Projects
At LANXESS, environmental responsibility is at the core of how we
- innovate,
- manufacture,
- and operate around the world.
Our projects reflect a holistic approach to protecting natural resources, ranging from biodegradable detergent solutions and renewable energy generation to advanced water treatment, fuel-efficient materials, and community-driven environmental initiatives. These initiatives demonstrate how technological progress, climate action, and environmental stewardship are interconnected.
Biodegradable Water Softeners and Detergents
Detergents and dishwashing liquids contain dispersing and complexing agents, whose job is to soften water or otherwise enable better use of available water. Many of these additives are not biodegradable and persist in the environment for a long time, sometimes leaching into groundwater.
LANXESS has developed innovative biodegradable water softeners and other additives, part of its Baypure® product line, which are meant to be used in washing machines and dishwashers. Baypure envelops the calcium and magnesium ions dissolved in water, which can cause chalky limescale deposits, and keeps them suspended, preventing limescale deposits. It even softens existing scale. Applications include
- dissolving stubborn furring in drainage pipes,
- assisting oil extraction and
- preventing grayness in detergents.
Baypure® boasts excellent green credentials because it is biodegradable and much safer for the environment.
LANXESS Raises Bar for Sustainable Development in Nagda
With the start of its new co-generation plant, LANXESS is able to meet most of its energy demand at its Nagda site. The cogeneration plant, which is fuelled by the biomass fuel - soya husk, meets virtually most of the power requirements of the Advanced Industrial Intermediates (AII) plant of LANXESS at the site.
With an investment of EUR seven million in the pioneering plant, LANXESS has clearly raised the bar for sustainable development in India. By utilizing a renewable source of energy, LANXESS will significantly reduce its carbon footprint by 70,000 metric tons of coal per year and thus reduce about 95,000 tons of CO2 emissions per year. In comparison, the combustion of biomass as a fuel is carbon neutral for the environment.
This plant is another example of LANXESS’ commitment to green chemistry and sustainable development. The German specialty chemicals company is using innovative and climate-friendly technologies at its manufacturing sites worldwide and has reduced its direct greenhouse gas emissions by more then 50 percent globally. From 2007 to 2009, annual emissions from the group’s plants were cut from 3.5 million to 1.5 million metric tons of CO2 equivalents.
LANXESS has a state-of-the-art production facility at Jhagadia in Gujarat, which manufactures
- rubber chemicals,
- ion exchange resins,
- material protection products,
- rhein chemie and
- high performance materials.
The Jhagadia rubber chemicals factory caters to the rapidly growing Indian tire market.
The Jhagadia LANXESS plant boasts of state-of-the-art green technology. For example, wastewater is thoroughly pre-cleaned before being released into the large treatment plant at the Jhagadia Chemical Park, in which the LANXESS site is located. The pre-cleaning process takes place in a separate, ultra-modern LANXESS treatment plant and ensures that all used water is already near drinking water quality when it leaves the company premises. It is treated again at the chemical park’s own treatment plant.
In addition, Jhagadia also hosts LANXESS’s factory for the production of ion exchange resins. To support it, LANXESS has built its own small and highly efficient power plant on site. The power plant runs on eco-friendly natural gas and is being built as a cogeneration plant that will supply both steam and electricity.
Efficient, Quiet, and Emission-Free
Fuel cells, which obtain energy from a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, offer a fascinating alternative to conventional vehicle drive systems. Although technical and logistical problems still need to be overcome before fuel cells can be mass produced, zero-emission vehicles, which release only water vapor as “exhaust,” may end up changing the face of major cities within the next decade.
Historical Background
The fuel cell was invented nearly 170 years ago, but it was only in the early 1990s that the automotive industry began pushing the development of this environmentally friendly energy carrier. Fuel cells have been used in submarine propulsion systems and space flight vehicles for quite some time now. Small portable versions that supply electricity for laptops, measuring devices, and other mobile equipment are also already on the market. Experts believe the first mass-produced fuel cell cars will hit the market in five to eight years.
Fuel cell vehicles are not only emission-free and quiet. The fuel cell concept cars developed by automakers also use their fuel’s energy up to 50 percent more efficiently than gasoline-powered vehicles, achieving efficiency ratings as high as 80 percent.
Public transport companies in Berlin, Hamburg, and Stuttgart are currently testing hydrogen buses in normal operations. The vehicles carry their cold liquid hydrogen fuel in special tanks. The German Ministry of Transport acquired the first fuel cell cars for its vehicle fleet in the spring of 2007.
LANXESS Involvement
In 2005, the LANXESS Ion Exchange Resins (ION) Business Unit launched a research project for the development of a new generation of high-performance ion exchangers that make it easier to use fuel cells in motor vehicles – and also make the drives more efficient. LANXESS is cooperating closely here with leading automakers.
LANXESS Creates Thermoplastics for More Fuel-Efficient Cars
LANXESS has developed patented technology, part of its Durethan product line, which replaces metal parts in a car’s body with highly engineered thermoplastics based on nylon. The plastic dramatically reduces the weight of a car, and thus makes it much more fuel-efficient. Consequently, it also reduces a car’s emissions.
Part of the breakthrough in the technology is LANXESS’ special process of joining plastic and metal to help produce an end product that exhibits
- strength,
- rigidity and
- energy absorption.
This technology is now used in cars by BMW, Ford and Audi to produce structural parts in more than 60 different models worldwide.
Additionally, Durethan is also being used in aircraft structures, hand tools, appliances and agricultural equipment.
Clean Drinking Water
In many parts of the world, large swaths of the population still do not have access to clean drinking water, and it remains a top priority for governments worldwide. LANXESS products play a key role in rendering water safe for drinking all around the world. LANXESS’ Lewatit® ion exchange resins and Bayoxide® arsenic adsorbers remove pollutants from water and other liquids.
The presence of arsenic in drinking water is one of the most dangerous forms of water contamination. Some extremely high arsenic concentrations occur in groundwater in many regions of the United States, South America and Asia. Excessive arsenic levels are often found in Europe as well. LANXESS has developed an iron oxide, called Bayoxide® E33, which is designed specifically for the removal of arsenic from water. The water treatment system is built around a solid bed of iron oxide beads. The specially-engineered beads have finely structured surfaces that adsorb pollutants when contaminated water flows over them.
Another widely used water treatment process is ion exchange with Lewatit®, which is used to remove pollutants such as
- nickel,
- nitrate or
- certain hydrocarbons
from drinking water. During the ion exchange process, contaminated water flows through a container filled with ion exchange resins. The resins filter the contaminants, substituting harmless ions for the pollutants. The treated water is extremely pure, and has many industrial applications as well. For example, the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries require extremely pure water, as do the boilers of power plants. In addition to rendering water safe for human consumption, Lewatit® is used in these industries.
LANXESS India Supports World Environment Day
Nagda, June 2014
LANXESS employees from Nagda site performed a Nukkad Natak (street play) based on the theme ‘Raise your voice, not the sea level’. This play was carried out at four strategic locations in and around Nagda in order to create awareness about environment protection. To further strengthen the message, around 300 saplings were distributed to the audience during the play, at different locations.
At the site, around 500 trees were planted on this occasion. LANXESS has so far planted 7500 trees at the Nagda site in the last few years.
Jhagadia, June 2014
At the site in Jhagadia, LANXESS organized a drawing competition for students from Kapalsadi Municipal school located near the site. The theme for the competition was ‘How can we save the environment?’ The students were given drawing kits for this competition, which included
- a plastic pouch,
- pastel colors,
- pencil,
- scale and
- eraser.
LANXESS also took this opportunity to explain the importance of environment protection to the students. The students were also given lessons about the different ways in which they can save water, trees and keep their surroundings clean.
June 2013
LANXESS planted around 2500 saplings at its site in Nagda, Madhya Pradesh, on the occasion of World Environment Day. Since 2010, around 6500 saplings have been planted at the site. To mark this years Environment Day, a ceremony was held at the site in the presence of employees wherein a variety of saplings were planted.
June 2012
LANXESS India celebrated the World Environment Day on June 5th, 2012 at both its manufacturing sites. At the site in Jhagadia,1900 saplings were planted in and around the site over the next one month, as a part of its ambitious target to plant 7000 trees. In addition, LANXESS also planted 100 saplings in the compound of Jhagadia GIDC police station. At the Nagda site, LANXESS planted 2000 saplings. Since 2010, around 4500 saplings have already been planted at the site in Nagda.
June 2010
In June employees of LANXESS’ Nagda site celebrated World Environment Day by planting saplings within the plant. This event kick started the program to plant a total of about 3000 saplings at the site over the next 3 months. Also, a poster competition was organized for all LANXESS employees across its offices wherein they submitted posters on select themes around environment related issues like ‘Water’. In addition, LANXESS India launched its “Bring Your Own Bag” campaign among its employees. Reusable cloth bags were distributed to employees across India.
In 2008, there was a tree plantation drive led by the popular Bollywood actress Vidya Balan and joined by enthusiastic schoolchildren at the St. Xavier’s school in Thane.
