Royal DSM is eliminating alkylphenol-ethoxylates (APEOs) from its European coating resin product lines in order to offer a more sustainable portfolio of coating resins. This decision is part of the company's sustainable strategy which aims at eliminating also CoCH from all coating resins products by 2025.
DSMis withdrawing alkylphenol-ethoxylates (APEOs) from its European coating resin product lines. The decision is in line with EU-wide legislation prohibiting the sale and import of products containing APEOs (both branched and linear) from January 4, 2021 and stems also from DSM's commitment to pursue a sustainable strategy.
The company will cease production of APEO-containing products in Europe from December 1, 2020, and customers will be asked to place their final orders of the affected products by September 1, 2020.
"Over the coming months, we will be working closely with our customers and partners as we remove APEO-containing products from our European portfolio, by helping them to make the transition to the many APEO-free alternatives DSM offers. Our approach resonates with our wider efforts to offer a clean and sustainable portfolio, and to lead the industry toward a more sustainable future that will mean brighter lives for all", said Martin Vlak, Managing Director, DSM Coating Resins.
DSM's ambitious sustainability strategy for its Coating Resins business includes also the elimination of chemicals of high concern (CoHC) from all coating resins products by 2025 and the development of the most sustainable product portfolio in the industry by 2030.
This strategy was unveiled in March 2019 and since then, DSM has also begun optimizing the preservative package for many of its key products and phasing out the use of methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP).