Clariant AG (Muttenz, Switzerland) is expanding its storage capacity in Scandinavia for the use of recycled mono-propylene glycol (MPG), used in its aircraft deicing fluids. Two new storage tanks and a truck unloading station have been installed at the company’s Uddevalla facility in Sweden to increase capacity and optimize handling of the product.
In 2023, the Clariant facility began using significant amounts of recycled MPG for Type I deicing products, offering customers high-performance products with, on average, a more than 25% lower product carbon footprint compared to those made from virgin fossil-based MPG. The intended use of even more recycled material than at present will also help Clariant to reduce Scope 3 emissions.
Clariant’s facility in Uddevalla, Sweden. © Clariant
The Uddevalla plant supplies airports, airlines and service providers in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The additional capacity at Uddevalla will enable Clariant to optimize operations and efficiency while continuing to drive sustainable value creation, supporting the company’s circular economy principles.
“The expanded storage and handling capacity in Uddevalla allows us to capture and reuse more recycled propylene glycol, reducing waste and the need for virgin fossil-based materials,” explained Sven Dammann, Head of Aviation EMEA at Clariant. “This investment underscores our commitment to increasing the sustainability of our portfolio through innovative recycling solutions.”
To initiate the recycling process, the run-off material of deicing operations at airports is collected and can then be cleaned and pre-concentrated to approximately 50-60% at Clariant’s facility located at Oslo airport, for example. The concentrate is transported to a partner for final processing into industrial grade glycol. Uddevalla takes this type of recycled glycol for the proportionate use in the production of SAFEWING™ Type I, helping to close the recycling loop.
The inauguration celebration for the expanded storage facilities took place in the first week of November 2024.