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• Plastic products include polystyrene, expandable polystyrene, polyurethane, thermoplastic polyurethanes, engineering plastics, polyamides and specialty polymers;
• Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) certification is part of the company's ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental protection;
• OCS is an initiative to prevent pellet losses in production, transportation and processing.
All BASF's European production sites for engineering plastics, polystyrene, expandable polystyrene, polyurethane, thermoplastics polyurethanes, polyamides and specialty polymers are now certified by independent third parties according to the Operation Clean Sweep® (OCS) standard. "With the successful certification of the polyamide production in Antwerp, the final milestone of this important project has been reached. We are delighted with this great achievement together with all teams involved in the proper handling of plastic pellets," says Sophie Van Dyck, Vice President Operations Polyamides & Precursors Antwerp. In total, 16 production plants for plastic pellets were certified at six BASF production sites in Europe.
Operation Clean Sweep® is an international program that aims to prevent the loss of plastic pellets, flakes and powders during their handling in production, processing, recycling and transportation, thus helping to prevent these materials from entering the environment. Companies that receive the OCS Europe certificate demonstrate their commitment to environmental protection and the responsible use of plastics. BASF has been a partner of the OSC initiative in Europe since 2014 and has been actively involved in the development of the global OCS program since its inception in the 1990s.
"The OCS certification we received shows the success of our measures to prevent plastic pellet losses. Both consistent technical improvements and intensive employee training were of great importance for this," explains Marcel Brill, Head of Industry Affairs & Public Relations Styrenics Europe at BASF.
"As a pioneer in the industry, we voluntarily assume responsibility and are actively committed to preventing plastic pellet losses. In doing so, we strive to set standards and protect the environment sustainably," adds Alexander Weiser, Senior Vice President, Head of Performance Materials EU.
The European certification system for the prevention of plastic pellet losses, which was introduced by Plastics Europe and European Plastics Converters (plasticsconverters.eu) in 2023, enables companies to evaluate and quantify their implementation of the OCS obligations with the help of accredited certification bodies. BASF has already implemented many technical optimizations in its plastic production plants as part of OCS. The company also trains employees and encourages stakeholders to join this very important initiative.
About BASF
At BASF (basf.com), we create chemistry for a sustainable future. Our ambition: We want to be the preferred chemical company to enable our customers’ green transformation. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 112,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises, as core businesses, the segments Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, and Nutrition & Care; our standalone businesses are bundled in the segments Surface Technologies and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €65.3 billion in 2024. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the United States.
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Daniela.katzenmaier[.]basf.com 
