BRITA, INEOS Styrolution and BASF collaboration to create sustainable water filter jugs

BRITA, INEOS Styrolution and BASF have announced that BRITA has selected a range of INEOS Styrolution’s sustainable Terluran ECO, Styrolution PS ECO and NAS ECO materials as materials of choice for its portfolio of water filter jugs.

The materials include the recently introduced NAS ECO, a styrene methyl methacrylate (SMMA) material – the result of a co-operation between INEOS Styrolution and BASF. It is built on BASF’s production of styrene monomer derived from renewable feedstock based on the mass balance approach. INEOS Styrolution uses the material as feedstock in its production of new sustainable styrenics solutions.

BRITA is among the first customers to benefit from INEOS Styrolution’s NAS ECO solution. The material is used for the production of BRITA’s water filter jugs where it is applied for jug, funnel and lid parts. By using the new materials, BRITA can significantly lower the carbon footprint without changes of moulding parameters and material performance. The new ECO materials do not cause any interference in BRITA’s production as it is indeed a true plug-in solution that does not require an adaption to BRITA’s production processes.

Meike Rapp, Sustainability Manager for the BRITA Group, said: “[W]e are happy that the new ECO materials for our jugs help us achieve one of our key sustainability goals – to reduce our dependence on fossil-based plastics. They also contribute to further decrease the carbon footprint of some of our key products and help us achieve our strategic goal of shaping sustainable solutions. That the materials are also ISCC+ certified is a great value-add in our consumer communication.”  

Udo Mühlhölzer, Business Development Manager / Global Key Account Manager Electronics & Household EMEA, at INEOS Styrolution, added: “I am excited to be able to offer our customers sustainable styrenics solutions that help them to meet their sustainability goals – and ultimately help our environment.”

To produce styrene BMB, BASF replaces fossil resources like naphtha or natural gas with renewable feedstocks derived from organic waste or vegetable oils. Raw material and plastic producers such as INEOS Styrolution and BASF can thus offer products with an improved environmental profile without affecting material performance. The allocation process via the mass balance approach, as well as the products, is certified by independent auditors.

Stefanie Kutscher, Head of Business Management Styrene at BASF’s Styrenics Business Europe, said: “The mass balance approach, be it based on waste biomass or chemically recycled plastics, helps us to leave fossil resources in the earth and enables a fast transition towards alternative feedstocks. This can only be achieved if the whole value chain takes part.”