Evonik is close to carbon neutrality at its Biolys® production site in Castro, Paraná

“Biolys, L-lysine sulfate used as additive in modern animal nutrition and produced in Castro (PR), sets a new benchmark with a focus on climate change,” says Miguel Menezes, head of the Castro plant, where the production of Biolys® started in 2015. The plant was built strategically next to one of Cargill’s plants, which supplies corn dextrose, a key ingredient for the production of Biolys®. In addition, both plants are located in one of the largest corn producing region in Brazil, thus guaranteeing the necessary substrate for the production of the amino acid. Production from the Castro plant supplies the South American market, thereby further reducing the region’s carbon footprint, with a significant improvement in the eco-balance.

“Life Cycle assessments (LCA), which measure the environmental impacts of a product throughout its life, follow the ISO 14040 standard, a proven method for measuring the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire lifecycle, from raw-material to production, distribution, use, and disposal”, explains Michael Binder, head of Animal Nutrition Sustainability at Evonik. The fact that the key plant-based raw material used in the production of Biolys® comes from crops grown by the traditional method and the transport ways are short, has a very positive impact on the carbon footprint in the production chain.

Besides, “in Castro we were able to adopt a high-efficiency, waste-free biotechnology manufacturing process, a technique  that Evonik has been optimizing for decades,” added Menezes. Additionally, more than 90% of the energy requirements of the process are supplied by renewable energy sources. These investments further reinforce the Castro plant’s commitment to the sustainable production of Biolys®.

All these factors, based on primary data, were included in the life cycle assessment submitted in 2021 to the German company TÜV Rheinland for certification purposes. The three main proven statements about Castro’s Biolys® - close to neutrality in greenhouse gas emissions; use of 90% of production energy from renewable sources; and waste-free process – are also used to differentiate our product in the market and provide customers with a proven sustainable option.  

“It is a great way to differentiate ourselves from our competitors”, said Martin Steffan, Global Product Manager Biolys® at Evonik. Stefan added that emission neutrality to help with climate change is an increasingly important factor among leading animal feed additive manufacturers.

“In Castro, we showed that it is feasible when conditions are suitable,” Binder added.  “This gives us a carbon footprint optimization model to apply in other production sites or products”, he concluded.

Evonik continues to work towards achieving total neutrality in greenhouse gas emissions in the production of Biolys® in Castro. 

Evonik is one of the world leaders in specialty chemicals. The company is active in more than 100 countries around the world and generated sales of €15 billion and an operating profit (adjusted EBITDA) of €2.38 billion in 2021. Evonik goes far beyond chemistry to create innovative, profitable and sustainable solutions for customers. About 33,000 employees work together for a common purpose: We want to improve life today and tomorrow.

In so far as forecasts or expectations are expressed in this press release or where our statements concern the future, these forecasts, expectations or statements may involve known or unknown risks and uncertainties. Actual results or developments may vary, depending on changes in the operating environment. Neither Evonik Industries AG nor its group companies assume an obligation to update the forecasts, expectations or statements contained in this release.