BASF Moves to Bio-based Ethyl Acrylate Production

 BASF is moving to bio-based Ethyl Acrylate (EA) production beginning in Q4 2024.

With a 14C-traceable bio content of 40% according to DIN EN 16640 and a low Product Carbon Footprint (PCF1), bio-based EA from BASF helps customers to reach their sustainability goals. The product offers a PCF reduction of ~30% compared to fossil-based EA.

BASF is also offering bio-based Ethyl Acrylate BMB ISCC Plus. With it, the remaining carbon content originated from fossil-based acrylic acid is ISCC PLUS certified. Applying BASF’s biomass balance approach offers a further reduced product carbon footprint.

The EA is produced in the company's headquarters city of Ludwigshafen, Germany, using bioethanol exclusively as the alcohol source. The chemical and technical specifications of this bio-based product are identical with the traditional fossil-based version.

“With bio-based EA we can offer our customers a readily available drop-in solution for many applications. Ethyl Acrylate is a well-established product that will support our customers in reaching their sustainability goals. We also want to give a clear signal to the market that we drive our own sustainability transformation. From Q4 2024 onwards, we will phase out fossil-based EA and exclusively offer bio-based Ethyl Acrylate going forward,” said Reiner Geier, senior vice president, Industrial Petrochemicals Europe.

The BASF Ethyl Acrylate uses sustainable bioethanol predominantly from European sources with grain as a feedstock. Bio-based EA can be used in a wide variety of polymer dispersion applications, such as coatings and adhesives.