Press release submitted on behalf of Arkema.
Arkema, La Défense, France, a multi-national manufacturer of specialty materials, has been working since 2023 with Carbone 4, a consultancy firm specializing in low-carbon strategies, to measure and improve its customers’ environmental performance. This collaboration forms part of the Group’s commitment to providing solutions that contribute to a more sustainable, low-carbon industry.
In line with new market and regulatory expectations, Carbone 4 developed the Net Zero
Initiative (NZI), a methodology for calculating avoided emissions, in collaboration with the
WBCSD (World Business Council for Sustainable Development). The initiative aims to provide companies with the tools they need to transition their operations toward making a fair contribution to global carbon neutrality. Recognized internationally since 2018, this
methodology makes it possible to assess the CO₂ avoidance of an innovative solution
compared with a standard alternative. The NZI offers a common language and methods for
all stakeholders who wish to rigorously, ambitiously and transparently manage their climate action. Arkema’s goal in using this approach is to provide its customers with practical tools to measure and improve their environmental impact.
“The Avoided Emissions methodology allows us to evaluate the positive impact of our
innovative solutions on the climate. It’s not just about offering solutions that emit fewer
greenhouse gases than existing market alternatives; it’s about supporting our customers in
their environmental transition by providing them with more responsible and effective
solutions,” says Emmanuelle Bromet, Arkema’s group sustainable development manager.
KERCOAT®
Since 2023, Arkema has applied this methodology to its Kercoat products. These ultrafine protective coatings are used by bottlers to extend the life of returnable glass bottles. By reinforcing the bottles’ resistance to abrasion during washing and transport cycles, Kercoat products increase the number of possible reuses.
According to the methodology and Arkema’s knowledge of customer bottlers’ current
practices — particularly the conditions of bottle reuse — as well as standard market
assumptions, this solution enables customers to avoid up to 30% of CO₂ emissions compared with the reference scenario (returnable bottles without Kercoat products). This
corresponds to nearly 300,000 tons of CO₂ emissions avoided by Arkema’s customer bottlers over the lifetime of several hundred million bottles sold, which is estimated to be double the amount in the reference scenario.
“These avoided emissions are clearly a competitive advantage in a world where the circular
economy and the reduction of our impact are a differentiating factor,” comments Alice
Medevielle, Arkema’s glasscoating sustainable development program manager.
CECABASE® RT BIO 10
In 2025, Arkema renewed its collaboration with Carbone 4 to evaluate the environmental
impact of Cecabase RT Bio 10, an innovative road construction solution, compared to market standards.
This 56% bio-sourced solution, based on the NF EN 16785_2 method, significantly reduces
the production temperature of asphalt mixes and allows for the incorporation of up to 50%
recycled asphalt while maintaining optimal performance.
“Cecabase RT Bio 10 is added in very small quantities (2 ppm) to a mix of 5% bitumen and 95% gravel, reducing the application temperature from 160° C to 120° C,” explains Gilles Barreto, Arkema’s R&D director for Surfactants.
By incorporating a higher proportion of recycled asphalt and reducing energy requirements,
using Cecabase® RT Bio 10 can reduce CO₂ emissions from asphalt production by up to 30% compared with a reference situation that incorporates 0% recycled asphalt.
Arkema developed a digital tool to assess these gains more precisely and calculate the
emissions avoided by using Cecabase® RT Bio 10. The tool is freely accessible on the Specialty Surfactants website: https://specialtysurfactants.arkema.com/en/innovation/cecabaser-rt-bio-10/.