Platform for sustainable plastics

Plastic Sustainability platform calculates CO2 footprint

2024-05-01 Source: Press Release | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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Taiwan Machine Tool & Accessory Builders' Association (TMBA)

Covestro and the Chinese Alibaba Group have developed a digital platform for CO2 footprint accounting and tracing of sustainable plastics. This is also expected to improve the supply chain transparency for sustainable plastics.

The traceability of materials and their CO2 footprint is enormously important for a circular economy. Covestro and Alibaba Cloud are working together to enable this.(Image: AndSus - stock.adobe.com) — The traceability of materials and their CO2 footprint is enormously important for a circular economy. Covestro and Alibaba Cloud are working together to enable this.
(Image: AndSus - stock.adobe.com)

Driven by rising consumer expectations and regulatory requirements, it's becoming increasingly important to measure the use of sustainable materials and associated CO2 footprint data along the value chain. To achieve this goal, calculation methods must be consistently ensured to enable traceability. Covestro is now facing this challenge in partnership with Alibaba Cloud, the technology and information division of the Chinese Alibaba Group. Together they will—starting in Asia—provide downstream industries with important solutions and tools to enable such transparency.

As a material manufacturer with a high focus on sustainable innovations, Covestro is committed to promoting circular economy and climate neutrality. Our collaboration with Alibaba Cloud is a significant milestone on our journey towards a circular and climate-neutral future.

Lily Wang, Head of the Engineering Plastics business unit at Covestro

Sustainability platform calculates total emission balance of end products

As part of this partnership, Covestro will provide more sustainable plastic solutions along with their CO2 footprint data. These data will then be used by Alibaba Cloud's "Energy Expert". The "Energy Expert" is an AI-driven sustainability platform that calculates the total emissions balance of end products—among other things from the data of the materials used—using digital technologies such as blockchain. The platform also offers an end-to-end solution for industrial companies to measure and optimize their CO2 footprint throughout their entire production cycle.

Recycled polycarbonate from water containers is processed into pens

This approach is already in use: for example, Covestro has worked with China's leading beverage manufacturer Nongfu Spring to recycle its 19-liter polycarbonate water containers for water dispensers. The material was then used by KACO, a niche stationery brand in China, to make pens. Through the CO2 emissions accounting and the digital tools of the Alibaba Cloud "Energy Expert", end consumers can scan a QR code on the pen packaging. This way they learn details about the origins of their pen's material, a detailed breakdown of the CO2 footprint at each stage of the production chain, and the amount of carbon emissions saved compared to new materials.

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