For the first time ever BASF is producing dispersions for interior paints based on the mass balance approach. To manufacture the binders of the Acronal® brand, the company replaces one hundred percent of the fossil resources used at the beginning of the production process with renewable raw materials. The paint producer DAW from Ober-Ramstadt (in Hesse, Germany) is already using one of these dispersions for its premium paints.

Already during the production of the basic products for the dispersions, biomass is used as feedstock. With the help of the mass balance process, which has been jointly developed by BASF and TÜV SÜD technical inspection board, the biomass share is then allocated to the dispersions according to their respective recipes. In terms of formulation and quality, the mass-balanced products are identical with their fossil counterparts.

"Since these dispersions are based on the use of sustainably certified renewable raw materials in the production process, they help save fossil resources and reduce greenhouse emissions. That way, we at BASF can help our customers develop interior paints that combine environmental responsibility with uncompromising premium quality," explains Robert Heger, Vice President, in charge of the dispersions business of BASF for construction and architectural coatings in Europe.

"A skillful painter and decorator needs environmentally friendly products that are easy to process, keep for a long time and are affordable," says Wolfgang Hoffmann, Head of Caparol Product Management at DAW. "By offering new paints that are based on the mass-balanced dispersion we are breaking new ground and are closing a gap in the market."

DAW, a European market leader in the field of architectural coatings, uses the dispersion for the production of premium-quality interior paints that are marketed under the brand names Caparol and Alpina. As of March, these interior paints are sold in the stores.