Product novelty 11. September 2024

Sustainability requirements in plastics processing are constantly increasing and more and more customers are demanding proof of a product's eco-balance. For this reason, the GRAFE GROUP, Blankenhain, has been providing a CO2 calculator for certifying the masterbatches or compounds ordered since the last update of its customer portal. This allows the CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gases for each of the company's products to be calculated live and within a few seconds and downloaded as a PDF document.

All environmentally relevant extractions from the environment (e.g. crude oil) and emissions into the environment (e.g. greenhouse gases) are counted, from the energy required to manufacture the product to internal transport and the raw materials and supplies used. „We receive this information from our electricity and gas suppliers as well as the raw material suppliers and include it in the calculation“, reports Manuel Klemm, Head of Internal Sales, pointing out that it is not just about carbon dioxide. „All greenhouse gases emitted are included in the calculation, but they are stated as CO2 equivalent per kilogram to ensure comparability.“

Thanks to the CO2 calculator, GRAFE's customers benefit not only from added value in terms of information and an improved image in terms of environmental friendliness, but also from better comparability with competitors' products. However, Klemm cautions: “There are currently no standardized regulations and many suppliers work with flat-rate values, which makes comparability difficult. This is because the CO2 footprint is not yet a legal requirement for medium-sized companies. But we are acting with foresight and making our products future-proof.”