Chain of custody and blockchain in the bioeconomy and the circular economy – Mass balance model (2) – Case study: Trinseo

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Series: Chain of custody and blockchain in the bioeconomy and the circular economy 
- Mass balance model (2) – Case study: Trinseo 

The company 

Trinseo is a global materials solutions provider and a manufacturer of plastics, latex binders and synthetic rubber. The company focuses on delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to help its customers create products that are intrinsic to how we live, products that touch lives every day across a wide range of end-markets. 
Fast Facts: 
- $3.8 billion in revenue (2019). 
- Approximately 2,700 employees. 
- 17 manufacturing sites, 11 research and development facilities. 
- Six business segments: Latex Binders / Synthetic Rubber / Performance Plastics / Polystyrene / Feedstocks / Americas Styrenics. 

Sustainable product portfolio commitment 

In July 2020, Trinseo released its 2020 Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility Report and announced its 2030 Sustainability Goals on climate change, sustainable product portfolio, supplier and operational responsibility, and a sustainable workforce. 

The Goal 5 states: “By 2030, 40% of Trinseo’s products will be sustainably advantaged. Where “sustainably advantaged” is defined as products that have recycled, renewable or degradable content contributing to a circular economy model, reduced/eliminated raw material substances of concern, or contribute to GHG emission reduction or material intensity reduction.” 

Mass balance certification in Europe 

Trinseo is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year and believes that it is high time to embark on an ambitious, measurable and achievable longer-term sustainability journey, on which the mass balance certification represents a significant milestone. Trinseo Europe GmbH has recently received the mass balance certification for three families of products manufactured in Europe from the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC), following an audit by TÜV Nord. 

The certification was issued for three material families manufactured at three European sites: 
- Polystyrene - Tessenderlo (Belgium) 
- Polycarbonate - Stade (Germany) 
- Synthetic rubber - Schkopau (Germany) 

Figure 1. Trinseo Europe GmbH has received the mass balance certification for three families of products manufactured in Europe from the International Sustainability & Carbon Certification 

ISCC’s mass balance system is designed to support bioeconomy and circular economy initiatives. It is a globally applicable sustainability certification system that covers all sustainable feedstocks, including agricultural and forestry biomass, circular and bio-based materials and renewables. 

The certification is based on auditable bookkeeping, for transparency and trust, throughout the whole value chain regarding materials that would otherwise be hard to distinguish from non-sustainable counterparts. 
Trinseo’s sustainability declaration provides data on: 
- Supplier and recipient of materials 
- Product and raw materials 
- Sustainability criteria met 

Sustainability in Action - Trinseo Mass Balance Certification (ISCC)

Biobased and biodegradable thermoplastic elastomers (TPE) 

Trinseo offers a customizable portfolio of biobased TPE polymers and compounds as an alternative to fossil-based materials to meet market demand and consumer need for sustainable products: 
- APIGO™ BIO are olefin-based thermoplastic bioplastics containing raw materials from renewable resources. These bioplastics guarantee the same physical-mechanical properties and processability as traditional fossil-based thermoplastic polyolefins. 
- APILON™ 52 BIO grades are urethane-based thermoplastic bioplastics (TPE-U or TPU) containing raw materials from renewable sources and offering the same performance as traditional fossil-based TPUs. 
- APINAT™ BIO Biodegradable TPC Compounds conform to the EN 13432 standard and they are the only soft biodegradable bioplastics available on the market with an international patent. 
- APINAT™ F BIO is a range of biodegradable thermoplastic bioplastics that are compostable in accordance with the EN 13432 standard. They are easily processible with standard blow molding equipment and suitable for the production of flexible packaging (such as shopping bags) and mulching. 
- MEGOL™ BIO are styrene-based thermoplastic bioplastics (TPS), the raw materials for which stem from renewable resources. These compounds guarantee the same physical-mechanical properties and the same processability as traditional fossil-based TPS. 

Figure 2. Trinseo biobased and biodegradable TPE

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