At the K 2025 Preview in Düsseldorf, BASF shared its vision for advancing a circular economy for plastics through its ongoing “Plastics Journey” initiative. While much of the presentation focused on industrial applications and engineering plastics, several themes and innovations have relevance for the packaging sector.
Circular transformation and economic tension
Martin Jung, global president of BASF Performance Materials, and Alexander Weiser, SVP and head of BASF Performance Materials Europe, jointly delivered the update. They reiterated BASF’s commitment to reducing CO₂ emissions (scope 1 and 2 by 25% and scope 3 upstream by 15% by 2030), doubling sales from circular and low-impact products to €10 billion by the end of the decade.
However, Jung acknowledged that while demand for sustainable solutions remains high, many customers are unwilling to pay a premium. This reflects the broader economic pressure facing the transition to circular systems, particularly in cost-sensitive sectors like packaging.
From raw material to recycled content
Weiser outlined BASF’s three-part framework – make, use, and recycle – underpinned by innovations in low-carbon raw materials, renewable electricity, and advanced recycling. In the ‘make’ phase, BASF now operates all its European performance materials plants on 100% renewable electricity. This has enabled the development of reduced and zero product carbon footprint (PCF) plastics.
For packaging, mass balance approaches and renewable feedstocks have enabled the creation of grades such as ecoflex (a certified compostable material) and ecovio (biodegradable and partly bio-based). These are already being used in select food-contact applications, with further product announcements expected at K in October.
Digitalisation: Product passports and traceability
A key enabler of circularity, particularly in packaging, is traceability. BASF is using the Pacific App, part of the Catena-X ecosystem, to support digital product passports that track carbon footprint, material origin, and recyclability across the value chain. Packaging applications could benefit significantly from such digital solutions as mandatory reporting and extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes take hold.
One packaging-related demonstration mentioned was a new bike bag made in collaboration with Vaude, which features a digital passport and is produced using zero-PCF materials. While not a conventional FMCG packaging application, it illustrates how data-driven materials could filter into future packaging systems.
Scaling recycling technologies, including PU
In recycling, BASF is investing across the spectrum of technologies – from mechanical recycling to pyrolysis, gasification, solvent-based recycling and depolymerisation. It is also expanding its role in sorting and upgrading recyclates, including a plastics identification solution via its trinamiX subsidiary. Although most examples presented were in automotive or building applications, Weiser noted the scalability challenge and highlighted the need for broader infrastructure and policy support.
Notably, BASF has made polyurethane (PU) recyclable, both rigid and flexible foams. In partnership with Vitra, it commercialised a flexible foam suitable for furniture – an innovation that, while not yet applied to packaging, could have implications for reusable or cushioning formats.
Call for systemic support
The session closed with a strong message to industry and policymakers. Jung emphasised that circularity cannot be achieved in isolation – it requires collaboration across the value chain, from waste collectors to brand owners, supported by a functional economic and legislative framework. Despite European commitments to the Green Deal and circular economy, he noted progress on mechanisms like mass balance certification remains frustratingly slow.
Looking ahead to K 2025
While packaging was not the central focus of BASF’s presentation, its technologies – from mass balance polymers and compostables to digital traceability tools – form part of the broader transformation that will be on show at K 2025. For packaging professionals, particularly those working on low-carbon and circular materials, the BASF booth in October may hold useful insights into scalable solutions for a net-zero future.
