Sustainability in synthetic rubber plants through advanced process technology

Companies and countries have announced ambitous  goals to increase circularity, beyond their net-zero targets, and to become climate-neutral by 2050. In line with this target, the conservative elastomers and rubber industry must invest in technologies to support this goal.

Some of the process technologies still in place date back to the 1960s. The time has come to take processes and operations to the next level, through implementing best-practices for process improvement and innovative designs for sustainability.

Sustainability is driven by legislation, the positioning of customers in the value-chain and, increasingly, by pressure from end-market consumers. The industry will face a gradual increase in more rigid emissions-reductions requirements as more customers pursue net-zero strategies and demand  zero-carbon materials-services.

This is good news because it will enable an acceleration in the adoption of existing and new process technologies to make our industry greener by optimising for maximum flexibility and performance, while minimising energy-consumption, emissions, waste, and costs.

This should also drive the implementation of emissions-reduction initiatives – such as via direct devolatilisation and thermal energy electrification – as well as the adoption of sustainability practices, including mass-balance, renewable raw materials-energies, and zero-residues.

There is, therefore, a clear opportunity for operators to revamp current processes towards providing more flexibility, differentiation, and cost-effectiveness, complying with today’s goals and regulatory challenges.

Moreover, these capex projects will not only reduce the impact of synthetic rubber production on the environment but also minimise community impacts, secure social licenses to operate, and reduce costs.

Read the full report in the November/December issue of European Rubber Journal magazine – online version also available in the Featured Content section under the Focus tab on the ERJ website homepage.