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Recent Life Cycle Assessment brings to light environmental advantages for INFUSE™ Olefin Block Copolymers by Dow
Horgen, Switzerland - October 26, 2011
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INFUSE™ Olefin Block Copolymers (OBCs), from Dow Elastomers, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), are increasingly becoming a material of choice for flooring and sport surfaces applications, particularly where environmental concerns are high on the agenda. These thermoplastic elastomers can be recycled and also offer resilience, softness and toughness as well as excellent colourability. Findings from a recent Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of INFUSE OBCs conducted by Dow reveal sustainable advantages in hot-fill cap liners, an application where OBCs and styrenic copolymers can be used at the same mass loading. The data and results in this study can inform the use of OBCs in other applications, such as in artificial turf, where manufacturers and users may be looking for raw material alternatives for infill and elastomeric granules made using styrenic copolymers. This "cradle-to-gate" assessment (also known as an Eco-profile) comparing the production of INFUSE OBCs with styrenic copolymers has revealed environmental advantages in the manufacture of the raw material and polymerization to the copolymers in several key impact areas: total energy use (the cumulative energy demand, or CED), global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP), eutrophication potential (EP) and water consumption. "The Life Cycle Assessment investigates the environmental performance of INFUSE OBCs in comparison to styrenic copolymers in the production of hot-fill cap liners," explained Enrique Torres, Marketing Manager for Sports Surfaces and Flooring at Dow Elastomers. "However, because it evaluates the raw material production we believe the results are also of genuine interest to those manufacturing system components for artificial turf and rubberized sport surfaces, and to end-users looking for products which can demonstrate sustainability advantages all the way to their source." INFUSE™ OBCs are widely used in a diverse range of market segments and applications, offering a variety of advantages including formulation flexibility, elasticity at room and elevated temperatures and abrasion resistance. They are often used in food contact containers, toys, sporting goods and hygiene products, as well as infill and elastomeric granules, thanks to their high temperature and abrasion resistance, elasticity and recyclability. Key findings1 of the Life Cycle Assessment, which was conducted following ISO standards 14040 and 14044 including critical review, were:
"The findings show that by considering INFUSE OBCs those involved in the manufacture of components for artificial turf and rubberized sport surfaces can point to the sustainability advantages of their raw materials," continued Torres. "Sharing the results of this Life Cycle Assessment also exemplifies the commitment Dow has made to creating sustainable solutions that aim to meet demands for quality as well as performance." Visit Dow at stand number F028 in Hall 11.3 at the FSB 2011 Exhibition in Cologne (October 26-28) to request a copy of the complete Life Cycle Assessment or call our Customer Information Group at +800-3-694-6367 or +32-3-450-2240 and reference # 1-9E626T. 1The "key findings" are a synopsis. The entire LCA study should be reviewed for a complete understanding. A complete copy of the LCA is available upon request. About Dow Dow combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2010, Dow had annual sales of $53.7 billion and employed approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com. For Editorial Information: Sarah Durante Laurent Schots |
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