Resources & Circularity

Enabling a circular world

What goes around…

At DSM we're committed to safeguarding our current and future natural resources and unlocking more value from the resources available to us. We can achieve it through a variety of methods.

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Reduce

We strive to reduce finite resources and replace them with renewable ones; to reduce waste through more efficient production and recycling; and to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals by shifting to safe alternatives - not just within DSM, but across our value chain with customers, suppliers and end-consumers. 

Bio-based thermoplastics

Our EcoPaXX® thermoplastic delivers outstanding performance in demanding "under the hood" automotive applications - while being 70% made from castor beans with a 100% carbon neutral footprint. Meanwhile its sister material Arnite® XT helps produce electronic power steering systems that are 50% lighter, cost 10-40% less to manufacture, and have a 40% smaller carbon footprint compared to aluminium equivalents.

Food & beverages

In food and beverages our Brewers Clarex® innovation helps brewers reduce waste by improving beer filtration cycle lengths, thus reducing the amount of beer and water lost; while our Pack-Age® solution for naturally ripening cheese not only reduces wastage in the cheese cutting process by up to 10%, it also enables manufacturers to save 0.5 liters of milk for every 1kg of cheese ripened.

Replace

We’re committed to replacing scarce and polluting resources with safe and renewable ones. Increasingly we strive to manufacture our products using bio-based alternatives to traditional fossil-based resources, along with non-toxic materials and recycled content. 

Bio-based Dyneema®

In partnership with SABIC and UPM Biofuels, Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber is transitioning to bio-based feedstock.

Extend

A circular economy is all about keeping materials at a high value for the longest possible time.

Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™

Our Dyneema® fiber is used for many applications these days, not least deep water mooring chains where it delivers maximum performance with minimum weight – and the lowest carbon footprint per unit of strength.

Replacing metal

Meanwhile, our Akulon® and Stanyl® thermoplastics are replacing metal and extending the lives of automotive parts like airbag systems and under-the-hood components respectively. 

Food applications

In food applications our natural preservatives protect a wide variety of products from spoilage including cheese, yoghurt, meat, and baked goods. For example, Delvo®Guard protects and extends the shelf life of fresh dairy products and all with no compromise on the look, taste or smell of the finished product. 

Design

We design for recyclability with smart materials.

Superior alternatives to traditional materials

Another good example is our Arnitel® VT, a breathable thermoplastic used in outdoor clothing and hospital gowns. It’s 100% recyclable, with no perfluorinated chemicals - which makes it a far superior alternative to traditional materials.

Recover

Moving to a circular economy that’s restorative by design is essential for our future generations; but it also becomes a business opportunity when we’re able to make products that unlock the value of organic and non-organic waste streams.

Akulon® RePurposed

Akulon® RePurposed is recycled from discarded nylon-based fishing nets from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea, gathered, sorted and cleaned by local communities and processed into recycle-based materials to be used in sports and leisure applications. A win-win-win for litter-free beaches, a healthier marine environment and a positive social impact for several local communities in India.

Sustainable proteins

Sustainable proteins are another innovation area for DSM, where we’ve transformed the previously inedible agricultural byproduct of rapeseed oil extraction into a valuable plant protein called CanolaPro®. It tastes great and is used in everything from energy bars to cereal. 

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