Covestro Introduces More Sustainable Polyether Polyols Based on Bio-Circular Raw Materials

“With the introduction of both main components for polyurethanes based on alternative raw materials, we have reached another important milestone on the road to climate neutrality. We can now help customers in a variety of industries meet their climate goals and drive the transition to a circular economy. At the same time, we are reducing the CO2 footprint in various value chains.” - Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer, Covestro

September 2022 : Covestro now also offers polyether polyols using bio-circular feedstock. Together with renewable1 toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and climate-neutral methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI), the company can supply both key raw material components for the production of polyurethane (PU) foams based on alternative raw materials. Like TDI and MDI, the polyols are produced with the help of the mass balance approach using renewable precursors – from biowaste and residual materials – which are allocated to the products by calculation.

PU rigid foams with MDI provide very efficient thermal insulation in buildings and refrigeration equipment. The soft foams using TDI provide a lot of comfort in mattresses and upholstered furniture, as well as in car seats and shoes. And with these polyols, Covestro is now able to offer selective prepolymers for various adhesive applications. The introduced mass balance approach enables the gradual substitution of fossil-based raw materials by bio-circular alternatives, which further improves the sustainability in these applications.

Covestro produces the polyether polyols in Dormagen, Germany, using the mass-balanced precursor propylene oxide from the shared site with LyondellBasell in Maasvlakte, The Netherlands. There, the two partners produce propylene oxide and styrene monomer as part of a joint venture. Both of the above-mentioned sites are certified according to the internationally recognized ISCC PLUS standard.

“With the introduction of both main components for polyurethanes based on alternative raw materials, we have reached another important milestone on the road to climate neutrality,” says Sucheta Govil, Chief Commercial Officer of Covestro. “We can now help customers in a variety of industries meet their climate goals and drive the transition to a circular economy. At the same time, we are reducing the CO2 footprint in various value chains.”

Customers can use the more sustainable polyether polyols and isocyanates as a drop-in solution, meaning the raw materials can be quickly and easily integrated into existing production processes without the need for technical modifications. The products offer the same good quality as their fossil-based counterparts and meet the demands from various industries looking for alternative raw materials. They can be easily distinguished from their fossil counterparts through the CQ suffix in the product name. CQ stands for Circular Intelligence and highlights Covestro´s products and initiatives around circularity.

About Covestro: Covestro is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality plastics and their components. With its innovative products and processes, the company contributes to greater sustainability and quality of life in many areas. Covestro supplies customers around the globe in key industries such as mobility, construction and housing, and electrical and electronics. In addition, Covestro's polymers are used in areas such as sports and leisure, cosmetics, healthcare and in the chemical industry itself.

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