Clariant, a Swiss multinational specialty chemicals company, recently unveiled its fully bio-based surfactants and polyethylene glycols (PEGs) to address climate change. Clariant will be helping remove fossil carbon from its value chain and assist in the transition to a more sustainable economy. The company has a growing share of bio-based products and processing aids in its portfolio.
The introduction of 100% bio-based surfactants and PEGs significantly expands Clariant’s Vita-designated ingredients. Vita products are based on renewable feedstocks and have at least a 98% renewable carbon index (RCI). “From the packaging to the many ingredients, a typical consumer product in coatings, personal care, home care, industrial, and agricultural applications still uses petrochemicals and therefore fossil carbon,” said Christian Vang, Global Head of Business Unit Industrial & Consumer Specialties, Clariant. “Switching to bio-based carbon chemistry remains a big challenge for manufacturers and by launching the Vita surfactant and PEG range we are offering them an important new solution to achieve this.”
Designed for only natural formulations targeting a high RCI, the new Vita products support manufacturers in maximising the bio-based carbon content of consumer goods such as detergents, hair and body shampoo, paint, industrial lubricants, and crop formulations. The industry will be using 100% bioethanol derived from sugar cane or corn to create ethylene oxide for its new surfactants and PEGs. The bio-based material is fully segregated along the value chain from the field to the final consumer product. Because only bio-based feedstocks are used, the ingredients will also have significantly lower carbon footprints than their fossil-based counterparts. The Vita surfactants are CO₂ emissions savers, these can help save up to 85% of CO₂ emissions compared to their fossil analogues.
Additionally, the most important add-on to this setting is increasing the standard of greener production by focusing on new and innovative solutions. These are chemically equivalent to Clariant’s fossil versions, offering the same performance and efficiency to formulators and brand owners. Customers can currently benefit from more than 70 bio-based products, and the range will continue to be expanded to meet evolving market needs. In Q1 2022, double-digit kilotons of bio-based surfactants and PEGs will be available for the worldwide business segments from Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals.
