As shown below, Econitrile is made from non-fossil feedstocks. It is the first mass-produced sustainable acrylonitrile in the world, based on ISCC+ certification and mass balance calculation. Econitrile enables our customers to start producing their materials, ranging from ABS, carbon fiber, acrylamide, acrylic fiber, polyols, specialty resins and nitrile rubbers, to specialty additives and pharmaceuticals, in a far more sustainable way.
Econitrile has a 60% lower carbon footprint when compared with AnQore acrylonitrile, according to a Life Cycle Assessment study performed by AnQore in cooperation with Maastricht University. Due to the low footprint of our sustainable raw materials and the inherent energy generated in the production process Econitrile is a product with a much reduced impact on the environment.
Econitrile is produced at the AnQore plant located on the Chemelot Industrial site in Geleen, the Netherlands. We make use of our existing plant, people and processes. Therefore, the product properties will not deviate at all from the high-quality acrylonitrile that AnQore has been producing and supplying for decades. The sustainable nature of Econitrile stems from the fact that our innovative suppliers provide us with the key feedstocks propylene and ammonia from sustainable sources. Like AnQore, both our suppliers, SABIC and OCI-Nitrogen, are ISCC+ certified. They guarantee the sustainable nature of these chemicals by co-feeding sustainable feedstocks, like bio-naphtha and bio-gas, to their plants and assigning these to ammonia and propylene on a mass balance basis, in accordance with the ISCC+ guidelines.
Pieter Boon, CEO of AnQore, states: “We are proud to be the first acrylonitrile producer to offer sustainable acrylonitrile under our Econitrile brand. Although for the time being there is limited availability of sustainable feedstocks, we are providing our customers the possibility to start the journey to a far more sustainable chemical industry, enhancing their product portfolio and simultaneously lower their environmental impact.”
Kees Aartsen, Director Europe Cracker Business at SABIC, states: “We are pleased to extend our cooperation with AnQore as they embrace our renewable materials and carry the product offering further in the value chain. We continue to innovate to create more sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions - like chemical recycling - to support circular economy”.
Robert Claasen, Executive Director of Chemelot, explains: “We are proud that AnQore and SABIC, both located at the Chemelot site, extend their cooperation and join efforts to add a far more sustainable product to their portfolio. This sustainable acrylonitrile fits perfectly in the ambition of Chemelot to become the most sustainable, safe and competitive chemical site in Europe.”
About AnQore
AnQore is a specialist European chemical supplier dedicated to the reliable, secure and continuous supply of acrylonitrile, ammonium sulfate, hydrogen cyanide, acetonitrile and sodium cyanide. Founded in 1969, AnQore is jointly owned by CVC Capital Partners and DSM since August 2015.
Find out more on AnQore on www.anqore.com or www.econitrile.com.