MIDLAND, Mich. — September 5, 2024 — Today, Dow announced the introduction of its first bio-circular product* for the flooring industry, an addition to the ENGAGE™ REN Polyolefin Elastomers (POE) product portfolio. The flooring innovation* will be used in the manufacturing of carpet tile backing to provide dimensional stability and adhesion support for fibers.
This new bio-circular product* brings the same high performance as the rest of the ENGAGE™ POE portfolio while helping customers meet their sustainability goals. ENGAGE™ REN POEs offer a viable alternative to virgin petrochemical products by utilizing alternative feedstocks produced from residues of biological origin and responsibly sourced waste, such as used cooking oil, and converting them into bio-circular products* with a lower carbon impact. Dow’s resins from bio-circular feedstocks are ISCC PLUS-certified under a mass balance approach for chain of custody, allowing customers to account for these materials in their supply chains.
“This innovation represents a crucial step toward expanding our circularity offerings into new markets,” said Joanna Giovanoli, senior marketing manager for Dow’s Packaging and Specialty Plastics business. “By supporting our flooring customers with bio-circular feedstock options that maintain high performance, we can give waste a new life, potentially reducing carbon footprints and reliance on fossil feedstocks. This is how we are moving Dow and our customers closer to shared sustainability goals.”
Bio-circular materials are a key pillar within Dow’s vision for a lower-carbon plastics ecosystem. Dow’s “Transform the Waste” target aims to commercialize 3 million metric tons of circular and renewable solutions by 2030, which involves using plastic waste and alternative feedstocks, including bio-circular. These raw materials, made from waste residues or by-products from an alternative production process, support a circular economy by enabling material reuse.
“We are committed to developing innovative products that meet the sustainability needs of our customers and help drive toward a circular economy,” said Rosalyn Kent, associate TS&D scientist for Dow’s Packaging and Specialty Plastics business. “To do this, we continue to explore alternative feedstock options that reduce the impacts of production and invest in new partnerships that progress bio-circular raw materials to produce high-quality resins.”
*bio-circular attributed under mass balance chain of custody approach
Posted: September 5, 2024
Source: Dow
