Focus on Arkema mass balance approach | Arkema Coating Materials

Developing bio-attributed materials using a mass balance* approach is an alternative pathway to meet the challenge of combining performance, circular sourcing and lower carbon footprint. By implementing mass balance, companies can incorporate sustainable materials into their existing production processes without requiring complete segregation. This allows for more flexibility in sourcing sustainable feedstocks and can be a practical and scalable solution, particularly when complete segregation is challenging or not yet feasible.
Arkema displays a complete offer of bio-attributed materials using the "Mass Balance" approach, for all technologies in all regions.

Replacing part of the fossil resources by bio-based feedstocks without modifying the processes and the industrial equipment

What is the "Mass Balance" approach?

The "Mass Balance" approach consists in replacing fossil by renewable feedstocks at the origin of the supply chain, segregating by bookkeeping the quantity of renenwable material and "attributing" this quantity to finished products at the end of the chain.

The "Mass Balance" approach requires no modification to the process, or new product accreditation as the high quality and performance of the products remain the same, which makes it easier for our customers to take them up.

Sustainable performance
Lower CO₂ footprint versus fossil grade

The replacement of fossil feedstocks by bio/bio-circular feedstocks will support Arkema’s customers in achieving their climate plan goals by reducing their scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.”

Helene Pernot,
Sustainable Offer Manager

Certifying the traceability of this bio-based origin

To ensure the traceability of our "Mass Balance" products, our whole supply chain is certified by a third party according the ISCC+ standards.
We provide our customers with certificates that guarantee the share of bio-based feedstock in the product they are purchasing.

The ISSC+ certification of the whole supply chain guarantees that the origin of the renewable sources meets ISCC+ standards for sustainable feedstocks.

Arkema announces the ISCC PLUS certification of more than 70% of its coating facilities worldwide

Arkema added ten coating solutions production sites to the list of ISCC PLUS certificated facilities in 2025. To date, the Group has now obtained certification of more than 70% of its coating facilities worldwide, including those dedicated to advanced liquid resins, waterborne resins, rheology and specialty additives, powder resins, UV/LED/EB technologies and acrylic monomers. This milestone enables to offer a broad portfolio of bio-attributed solutions with carbon footprint (PCF) of at least -20% compared to fossil-based equivalents.

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

^{*Mass Balance: Mass balance chain of custody is designed to track the total amount of the content in scope through the production system and ensure an appropriate allocation of this content to the finished goods based on auditable bookkeeping. Property conservation principle is set to ensure that the total certified output does not exceed its original input and take into account the appropriate conversion losses and production / assembly ratios.}