As part of our decarbonization strategy, we are exploring renewable energy sources to help power our innovation. With our first power purchase agreement in development, we are positioned to reduce 1.5% of our energy consumption in 2023. By investing in renewable energy sources, we are striving to make affordable and clean energy available to our global facilities, so our materials have a lower carbon footprint. These efforts are supportive of Targets 7.2—to increase the share of renewable energy in the global mix and 7.3—to double the rate of improvement in energy efficiency.

As we continue to progress our Responsible Operations goals, we are focused on managing and reducing waste throughout its lifecycle. How our facilities operate daily is a key component of this, and each year we continue to implement projects that reuse material water baths to yield less wastewater, improve our energy efficiency, and reduce our waste. One example of this is the reduction of freshwater at our ABS facility in Midland, Michigan, USA in 2022 by implementing a closed-loop water recycling system for cooling plastic strands during manufacturing. This will keep 36 million gallons of fresh water in the environment by reducing the facility’s water intake by 90%. Practices such as this are being replicated across our plants so we can continue to reduce our waste.

Additionally, ten of Trinseo’s facilities have received ISCC Mass Balance certification, which minimizes environmental impact by diverting waste from landfills. Mass balance enables us to track the known proportion of recycled sources in materials made at the certified sites; it is the first step in the path to circularity as we assess the input of sustainable content through the value chain.

Our efforts directly ladder up to Target 12.4—achieving environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their lifecycle and Target 12.5—reducing waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.

We develop products that help reduce GHG emissions through production and application improvements. For example, our CO2NET™ product portfolio is designed to generate at least 50% fewer carbon emissions compared to their fossil-derived counterparts, with the goal of lowering emissions to net zero carbon. Our CO2NET™ Binders are manufactured using an ISCC-certified mass balance approach providing a near-term solution to integrate sustainable feedstock into the value chain. These products also undergo a Product Carbon Footprint Assessment, as well as a Life Cycle Assessment, as requested.

These efforts are supportive of Target 13.2—integrating climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.

Trinseo is taking steps to prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution. Through our drive to realize the promise of a circular economy, we are reducing waste that would otherwise end up in our marine environment. Estimates suggest 14 million tons of plastic migrate to the ocean each year, but through products like PMMA and polystyrene that have the potential to be 100% recyclable, we can reduce the monumental waste that enters waterways. By advancing recycling technologies and increasingly integrating recycled content into our materials from pre- and post-consumer sources, we are helping to reduce and redirect plastic waste.

Additionally, Trinseo is also an active member of Operation Clean Sweep® to help limit pellet, flake, and powder loss in the environment and waterways. Through this program, Trinseo has instituted better housekeeping for warehouses, new equipment to prevent pellets and flakes from entering the ecosystem, and more.

These efforts help support Target 14.1—prevent and reduce marine pollution of all kinds.

Trinseo is actively involved in several partnerships and industry initiatives to progress sustainable change. In 2022, we partnered with companies and organizations throughout the value chain to advance our goal of building a circular economy. Two partnerships, in particular, were central to this mission: Japan Steel Works Europe GmbH, which is a collaborative effort on the chemical recycling of PMMA, and Circularise and ISCC, a pilot blockchain project to establish traceability and secure data exchange for supply chains of sustainable materials.

Our facilities are part of the communities where they are located, and with this mindset, we value our local partnerships. An example of this is the partnership between our Dalton, Georgia, U.S., facility and the Keep Dalton/Whitfield Beautiful and Wildlife Habitat Program organizations, which focus on keeping the community around the facility clean and maintained. Employees work with these organizations to preserve the environment around the facility through volunteer clean-up days.

Through our partnerships, we are supporting Target 17.17—encourage and promote effective public, public-private, and civil society partnerships.