# Adhesives and sealants: Emissions

Why nearly all of glue's carbon is in the monomers

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/emissions/

Why nearly all of glue's carbon is in the monomers What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies. Emission intensity 2.00 t CO2e per t range about 1-6 · PVAc dispersion about 1.0 t and styrene-acrylic dispersion about 1.5 t CO2e per t (Omya); hot melts, PU and epoxy systems higher (indicative) Global emissions per year 40.0 Mt CO2e per year 2025 · 2.0 t x about 20 Mt (indicative)

Per t of adhesive, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: Omya sustainability toolkit; weighting indicative. Global total: derived (indicative).

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 90% Production / process 5% Movement 5%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 1.8 t CO2e per t | 90% | monomers and polymers (VAM, acrylates, isocyanates, epoxy, silicones), tackifiers and solvents | fossil carbon embedded in the product | indicative (basis: Omya dispersion footprints) |
| **Production / process** | about 0.1 t CO2e per t | 5% | emulsion polymerisation heat, mixing, melting |  | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.1 t CO2e per t | 5% | road and sea distribution |  | indicative |
| **Use** | VOC release from solvent-borne products; enables lighter vehicles and packaging | – | solvent evaporation | solvent-borne adhesives release most of their 60-80% solvent content as VOCs (indicative) | indicative |
| **End of life** | small per t; stays with the bonded product | – | incineration or landfill with packaging, furniture and vehicles | adhesives in laminates and multi-layer packs block mechanical recycling; debond-on-demand adhesives are an answer | indicative |

#### Other environmental impacts

VOCs, worker exposure to solvents and isocyanates; formaldehyde emissions from wood panel resins; adhesives as contaminants in paper and plastic recycling.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Switch solvent-borne to water-borne and hot-melt systems
- Bio-based monomers and polymers (bio-attributed VAM and acrylates, starch, lignin, soy)
- Recyclable and debondable adhesives for mono-material packaging
- Formaldehyde-free panel binders
- Lower-carbon VAM from bio-ethylene or green hydrogen-based acetic acid

#### India

No adhesive footprint is published for India; domestic VAM production from August 2026 will add Scope 1 and 2 emissions onshore while cutting import logistics.
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Bio-attributed VAM and acrylate dispersions (mass balance)** | not published | not published | offered by major European monomer makers (indicative) | indicative |
| **Starch- and lignin-based adhesives for board and panels** | not published | not published | commercial in corrugating; emerging in wood panels (indicative) | indicative |

 For a climate investor The decarbonisation opportunity lies in monomers (bio-based or low-carbon VAM and acrylates) and in adhesives that enable recycling of packaging. Branded formulators such as Pidilite have the margin to absorb small premiums. What has to be true: brand owners pay for recyclability, and bio-based monomers reach scale; India's first VAM plant (Asian Paints) is a natural candidate for low-carbon feed.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/adhesives/links/index.md)