Product Sustainability Monitor
We aim to constantly improve the sustainability performance of our product portfolio, to substitute critical products and develop safe alternatives. To achieve this, we take a three-element approach.
- The first element focuses on ensuring that our products are safe and sustainable.
- With the second element, we aim to provide climate-neutral and circular products.
- In element three, we consider the benefits and positive environmental impact that our products bring or facilitate during their entire life cycle.
Analysis of our product portfolio from a sustainability perspective
We actively manage our product portfolio towards sustainability because we are fully aware of the positive impacts as well as of the potential risks our products have through the use in certain applications.
In order to structure this analysis, we created a management tool with a specially developed evaluation system that allows us to evaluate the risks and improvement potentials in our product portfolio with the goal of systematically improving the sustainability performance with consideration for the environmental, social and economic impacts.
The continuously optimized system analyzes the effects and benefits of our products based on fact-based, significant and measurable criteria that we consider relevant for LANXESS and society as a whole. We are taking into account factors that exceed regulatory compliance to generate appropriate data for all our substances.
LANXESS AG
LANXESS
Regulatory Compliance
LANXESS complies with all necessary global, regional and local chemicals control regulations. We explicitly support the goal of EU REACH to ensure a high level of protection for human health and the environment. In countries outside the EU, we set comparable standards for our products. Consequently, we do not produce or market critical products (containing SVHC) globally, which we have not registered and do not market within the EU or US.
In this context, substances, as defined by the criteria for Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) by the EU REACH regulation, are of particular importance if contained in chemical end-products. We identified that less than 4 % of our 2020 total sales volume was generated with chemical end-products containing more than 0.1 % SVHCs.
Elimination of critical substances
We are committed to continuously improving the sustainability performance of our product portfolio, to eliminating critical substances, and developing safer alternatives. In order to achieve this target, we have a clear process in place to manage critical substances. For chemical end-products which contain substances (more than 0.1 %) having the characteristics of SVHCs, we set the target to develop action plans until 2023.
Within this roadmap process, we check whether the critical substances in the respective products can be replaced by a safer alternative. For the substitution, we focus on innovating safe and sustainable alternatives. Therefore, we do not switch to other substances, which from an expert view might have comparable hazardous properties but have not been restricted yet.
If a replacement by a safe alternative is not possible, and if according to our scientists or regulatory bodies, the concerns or risks are beyond reasonable levels, we will phase out the substances. If critical substances in essential uses cannot be replaced, we will implement risk mitigating measures based on scientifically acceptable levels. Examples for phase out decisions can be found below:
C,C'-azodi(formamide) is also an active ingredient of our product RHENOFIT EC(ADC), which is used as a blowing agent for rubber foams. C,C'-azodi(formamide) has been identified as a substance of very high concern due to its respiratory sensitizing properties. In 2023, we developed the substitute Rhenofit EC (OBSH) based on phosphorus p-oxybis(benzenesulfonyl)hydrazide which has a more environmentally friendly profile and does not show respiratory sensitizing properties.
Energizing sustainability
We have a clear strategic focus on shifting our portfolio towards socially, environmentally and economically beneficial products. For the development of our innovative solutions, we select safer and more sustainable ingredients wherever possible. We will not develop and market new end-products containing substances > 0.1 % that have the characteristics of a substance of very high concern (SVHC). Our solutions fall into a broad range of sustainability categories contributing to a carbon neutral and non-toxic environment and to a circular economy. Those products can be found on the respective business homepages, some examples below:
Thanks to our best-in-class nitrous oxide reduction plant, our adipic acid has a 95 % lower product carbon footprint than other producers who are not operating a nitrous oxide reduction plant. Nitrous oxide (N₂O), also known as laughing gas, is harmless to humans but 300 times more harmful to the environment than carbon dioxide.
We are constantly pushing the boundaries of our low-free (LF) technology. The LF technology allows the reduction of volatile organic compounds (VOC) components in the resulting prepolymer products, in particular the product will have a reduced residual free diisocyanate content which is potentially carcinogenic. Thus, customers are enabled to offer their workers an environment of superior industrial hygiene and to manufacture label-free products. In addition to the health and safety aspect, the LF technology enables a more precise synthesis of the prepolymer as a defined oligomer. Through this, there is a structural advantage in the fine-tuning of properties as well as achieving high performance systems.
https://pla.lanxess.com/
Our Bayferrox 303T pigment helps the recycling of plastic packaging as it is (on the contrary to most conventional black pigments) reflecting and not absorbing infrared light (IR) and enables IR detection in automated sorting plants.
https://lanxess.com/de-DE/Produkte-und-L%C3%B6sungen/Products/b/BAYFERROX--303-T
Our anti-reversion and crosslink stabilizer Perkalink compensates for the loss of sulfur bridges during curing or service life of tire compounds. It reacts with the dienes or trienes in the polymer backbone and forms new, thermally stable carbon crosslinks. The additive is only active when needed and does not react during vulcanization or at low temperatures. Perkalink does not contain any SVHC.
Our Aktiplast® 79 is used for the devulcanization of natural or synthetic rubber waste enabling an efficient and odorless regeneration process. Waste rubber with a focus on waste from sneaker shoe soles can thus be recycled.
https://rubber-additives.lanxess.com/#recycling
We have developed a range of bio-based prepolymers that benefit from exchanging fossil-based polyols against commercially available bio-based polyols. Our range of MDI polyether based systems uses polyether polyols based on starch. These systems are suitable as drop-in replacement for existing fossil based polyether prepolymers and systems to manufacture highly durable polyurethane elastomers. Depending on the system, a reduction of the CO₂ footprint between 20 % to 30 % is possible compared to fossil-based prepolymer systems. The production of food must take priority over the use of biomass for production of chemical products. We believe in the long run, bio-based chemical products will predominantly be made from non-edible bio-based feedstocks. For the time being starch is needed to develop the technologies. The used starch is renewably sourced and the land needed to produce the starch is only a tiny fraction of the land available for industrial starch production.
Our reinforcing additive Rhenogran® WP contains naturally occurring cellulose fiber from various types of hardwood. The bio-degradable and sustainable material has a higher reinforcement than cotton or sisal. Rhenogran® WP improves and modifies the mechanical properties of rubber compounds for specific uses and does neither contain any hazardous chemicals nor SVHC.
https://rubber-additives.lanxess.com/
Substances on the SIN List
The International Chemical Secretariat (ChemSec), a non-governmental organization (NGO), has made it its mission to accelerate the replacement of hazardous chemical substances. With this purpose in mind, ChemSec publishes what it calls the “Substitute It Now!” (SIN) List, a directory of all substances that products should not contain according to ChemSec’s evaluation.
At LANXESS, we share the goal of making sure that critical substances in chemical end products should not be a source of any risk. Before we use or sell a substance, we check whether it can be ensured that it can be used safely in its intended application and work on developing safe and sustainable alternatives for critical substances. We are constantly striving to improve the sustainability performance of our product portfolio (Product Sustainability Monitor). The SIN List currently lists 28 substances for LANXESS. However, if we apply the ChemSec criteria to our product portfolio, we count only 27 substances that meet the criteria at this point in time.
There is one substance on the SIN List regarding which there is no cause for concern. The substance Propanedinitrile, 2-[[4-[[2-(4-cyclohexylphenoxy)ethyl]ethylamino]-2-methylphenyl]methylene]- (CAS 54079-53-7) is listed as PBT substance, but has no PBT properties according to ECHA (Registration Dossier - ECHA (europa.eu).
The following 20 substances are, without any exemptions, to be considered as non-CMR category 1A or 1B according to the CLP regulation since the substances in question fulfil notes "J"-"R" in the CLP regulation. This applies to all substances purchased, manufactured and used, in all of our facilities, including all subsidiaries, without exemptions.
Of these, 19 are processed petroleum derivatives, which is a product group that can contain impurities that result in classification as carcinogenic. The products used by LANXESS do not contain any critical impurities and are thus not classified as carcinogenic. Consequently, they do not pose any risk to human health.
| CAS Number | Substance name |
| 64741-88-4 | Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined heavy paraffinic |
| 64741-89-5 | Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined light paraffinic |
| 64742-46-7 | Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated middle |
| 64742-54-7 | Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated heavy paraffinic |
| 64742-55-8 | Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated light paraffinic |
| 64742-65-0 | Distillates (petroleum), solvent-dewaxed heavy paraffinic |
| 64741-96-4 | Distillates (petroleum), solvent-refined heavy naphthenic |
| 64742-01-4 | Residual oils (petroleum), solvent-refined |
| 64742-62-7 | Residual oils (petroleum), solvent-dewaxed |
| 64742-48-9 | Naphtha (petroleum), hydrotreated heavy |
| 64742-49-0 | Naphtha (petroleum), hydrotreated light |
| 64742-52-5 | Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated heavy naphthenic |
| 64742-53-6 | Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated light naphthenic |
| 64742-70-7 | Paraffin oils (petroleum), catalytic dewaxed heavy |
| 64742-71-8 | Paraffin oils (petroleum), catalytic dewaxed light |
| 64742-89-8 | Solvent naphtha (petroleum), light aliph. |
| 72623-87-1 | Lubricating oils (petroleum), C20-50, hydrotreated neutral oil-based |
| 8009-03-8 | Petrolatum |
| 8052-41-3 | Stoddard solvent |
The SIN List includes 18 substances that are used exclusively, without any exemption, as an intermediate under strictly controlled conditions in all of our facilities, including all subsidiaries. Chemical intermediates are converted through further chemical reactions carried out by us or our customers. This takes place in enclosed industrial facilities, which means that no contact with any substance of concern occurs.
| CAS number | Substance name |
| 120-82-1 | 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene |
| 288-88-0 | 1,2,4-triazole |
| 108-78-1 | 1,3,5-Triazine-2,4,6-triamine |
| 75-21-8 | Ethylene oxide |
| 50-00-0 | Formaldehyde |
| 75-56-9 | Methyloxirane |
| 100-42-5 | Styrene |
| 100-44-7 | α-chlorotoluene |
| 10588-01-9 | Sodium dichromate |
| 106-99-0 | Buta-1,3-diene |
| 107-13-1 | Acrylonitrile |
| 107-15-3 | Ethylenediamine |
| 118-79-6 | 2,4,6-tribromophenol |
| 62-53-3 | Aniline |
| 78-79-5 | Isoprene |
| 88-72-2 | 2-nitrotoluene |
| 95-50-1 | 1,2-dichlorobenzene |
| 95-53-4 | o-toluidine |
