CO₂ Footprint of Plastics: Why PCF-Reduced Polyamides are Becoming a Key Lever

The CO₂ footprint of a product is determined long before it is ever used. But which lever is truly effective? This article explains what "net zero PCF" means in concrete terms for plastics, the role played by mass balance and renewable energy, and how PCF-reduced polyamides are already being used in consumer products today – using a cycling backpack from BASF and VAUDE as an example.

Climate targets are drawing closer, regulatory requirements are becoming more concrete and expectations from customers, retailers and the public are increasing. As a result, the CO₂ footprint of products is becoming an increasingly measurable decision-making factor – including in the plastics and consumer goods industries.

Many companies are currently discussing different approaches to reducing this footprint as effectively as possible.

"Net zero" is a commonly used term in sustainability communication. In the context of plastics, it does not refer to the end product as a whole, but to the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) of a material – i.e. the greenhouse gas emissions generated up to the factory gate ("cradle to gate").

The calculation includes, among other factors:

• the type and origin of raw materials
• energy use in production
• upstream process steps

A plastic with a net-zero PCF is not produced without emissions. Instead, emissions are reduced along the value chain to such an extent that a net CO₂ footprint of zero is achieved – without subsequent compensation through offsets.

Clear differentiation is essential for correct classification:

• PCF is not the same as recycled content
• PCF is not the same as bio-based content
• PCF is a comparable metric, not a sustainability label

For product development, sustainability management and procurement, PCF therefore provides a robust basis for systematically evaluating material decisions from a climate perspective for the first time.

With this understanding, the initial question also becomes clearer:

A plastic with a net-zero PCF is created through the interaction of several factors. In the case of the polyamide Ultramid® ZeroPCF from BASF, these include in particular:

• Raw material base: use of biomethane and bio-based raw materials, for example from used cooking oil
• Energy use: use of renewable electricity from offshore wind power
• Production system: efficient use of energy and intermediates
• Mass balance: certified allocation of sustainable resources (ISCC+)

The result is a polyamide 6 with identical properties to conventional material – but with a significantly reduced climate impact.

A concrete application example is the TRAILCONTROL ZERO 20+ cycling backpack from VAUDE. It is the first market-ready product in which Ultramid® ZeroPCF is used.

Cycling backpacks are considered technically demanding products:

• They must be robust and lightweight.
• At the same time, they symbolise sustainable mobility.

The use of a polyamide with net-zero PCF shows that PCF-reduced plastics can already be used in series products today – without compromises in function or design.

The mass balance approach makes it possible to integrate more sustainable raw materials and energy sources quickly into existing production systems. Its advantages include:

• rapid scalability
• use of existing infrastructure
• certification and traceability

It does not replace long-term goals such as a fully circular plastics economy, but it already enables measurable emission reductions today.

PCF-reduced plastics demonstrate that climate protection in the plastics industry starts with material decisions. The VAUDE backpack with Ultramid® ZeroPCF shows that such solutions are available, scalable and ready for the market.

Material choice thus becomes an active lever on the path to climate neutrality.