Solvay, a leading global supplier of specialty materials, has announced that the production of its hydroquinone (HQ) and hydroquinone monomethylether (MeHQ) in Saint-Fons, France has been accredited to comply with the mass balance accounting regime of the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS system.
HQ and MeHQ (also referred to as para-methoxyphenol, PMP) are frequently used as building blocks in the formulation of polyetherether ketone (PEEK), liquid crystal polymer (LCP) and other high-performance engineering thermoplastics. They also serve as raw materials in epoxy and polyester coatings, in polyurethane adhesives, and as inhibitors for monomer stabilization during production, storage and transportation. Further industrial application areas include the synthesizing of rubber chemicals, pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals. The vast majority of companies in those industries have set ambitious goals seeking to reduce the carbon footprint of their products and minimize fossil feedstock depletion.
"As a leading producer of HQ and MeHQ, offering mass balance certified grades exemplifies our strategic commitment to drive the change towards high-quality, sustainable solutions as the polymer and chemicals industry is transforming from a linear to a more circular economy,” says Jo Grosemans, Solvay Natural Growth Director.
Solvay’s certified renewable Hydroquinone MB and MeHQ MB products provide an instant and easily implemented drop-in solution for customers to replace incumbent fossil feedstock based synthetic grades, without any need for time-consuming homologation and sampling or other modifications in storage and production. The replacement of primary fossil resources by responsibly-sourced and mass-balance certified renewable feedstocks aligns with the Solvay One Planet roadmap to continuously improve the sustainability of Solvay’s own operations (Scope 1, 2 and 3), as it also helps customers reduce their Scope 3 emissions.
