Environment | Münzing Chemie

MÜNZING Group's Pathway to Scope 1 and 2 Emissions Reduction

80%

of energy-related Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduced.

100%

Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across defined scopes.

100%

of energy-related Scope 1 and 2 emissions reduced.

At MÜNZING we focus on reducing our emissions by making changes directly in our production sites.

Dr. Michael Münzing, CEO

MÜNZING’s emissions reduction pathway was established in 2021 by CEO Dr. Michael Münzing. It focuses on reducing Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions, improving energy efficiency and increasing energy recovery across the MÜNZING Group. The pathway takes the EU’s long-term climate objectives into account and is supported by defined reduction targets and measures at our production sites.

How we Reduce Energy Consumption

As part of our efforts to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions across our operations, we continuously optimise production processes, reaction times and operating temperatures. We also evaluate opportunities for process optimisation, energy recovery and plant modernisation.

In 2022, MÜNZING opened a new production facility in Elsteraue, Germany. The facility includes an energy recovery system designed to reuse thermal energy within the production process. Based on our calculations, the system is expected to avoid approximately 1,000 tonnes of CO₂e emissions per year.

Our Malaysia production facility, inaugurated in 2023, incorporates combined heat and power generation and energy recovery systems for heating and cooling processes. Approximately 70% of the defined energy stream is recovered and returned to the production process.

MÜNZING calculates its Corporate Carbon Footprint and has been progressively determining Product Carbon Footprints across its product portfolio since 2021. These calculations help us identify significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions across our operations and value chain and evaluate potential reduction measures.

To increase the share of renewable electricity at our sites, MÜNZING has progressively expanded its photovoltaic capacity. Systems were installed at our headquarters in Abstatt in 2020, at our Heilbronn site in 2024, and at our Elsteraue site in 2026. Further installations are evaluated for additional locations where technically and economically feasible.

Products Based on Renewable Raw Materials

MÜNZING develops products and technologies that can support customers in reducing energy consumption, emissions and resource use in specific applications.

Our product development activities increasingly consider criteria such as renewable raw material content, resource efficiency and regulatory requirements. We aim to increase the use of certified and renewable raw materials where technically and commercially feasible and to work with suppliers that meet defined environmental and responsible sourcing criteria. This includes evaluating vegetable oils, alternative raw materials and, where suitable, regionally sourced and palm-oil-free alternatives. As part of our product development activities, interdisciplinary teams have defined environmental performance criteria for selected product groups. These criteria may include renewable raw material content, biobased content and biodegradability under defined test conditions. The objective is to expand the portfolio of additives that meet these defined criteria and to integrate relevant environmental aspects more systematically into product development. Our products can also support customers in reducing VOC and SVOC emissions from coating formulations and in developing formulations designed to meet the requirements of ecolabel schemes such as the EU Ecolabel, Blue Angel, Nordic Swan and Thailand Green Label.

Reducing Impacts on Air, Water and Soil

The MÜNZING Group continuously works to reduce resource consumption and waste generation through process improvements, reuse and recycling. This includes the reuse and recycling of packaging materials such as IBCs and wooden pallets.

We are also increasing the use of renewable raw materials derived from agricultural residues and by-products where technically suitable. For selected materials, this can reduce direct competition with primary food feedstocks. We also use by-products and non-food-grade raw material qualities, including selected natural oils, where appropriate for the respective application.

For our Heilbronn site, we submit the annual Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) report in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. Relevant emissions, releases and waste streams are monitored as part of our environmental management processes. To reduce particulate emissions, silica-containing dust is removed from exhaust air using filtration systems during production.

Fresh water consumption at our Heilbronn production site was reduced by 11% from 2021 to 2022 through process optimisation and efficiency measures. Fresh water is primarily used in products, for cleaning reactors and boilers, and in cooling processes.

Our German production sites operate wastewater treatment systems in line with site-specific requirements. Wastewater is treated before discharge in order to comply with applicable discharge limits and regulatory requirements.