# Epoxy resins: Emissions

Epichlorohydrin's chlorine makes this a heavy resin

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

Epichlorohydrin's chlorine makes this a heavy resin 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 5.00 t CO2e per t range 4.5-7.0 · indicative (basis: 0.67 t BPA x 2.26 t CO2e/t (Plastics Europe), 0.55 t ECH x about 4.5 t CO2e/t, 0.24 t NaOH x 0.9, plus about 0.7 t for process energy and transport); ecoinvent-based values of about 6-7 t CO2e/t are often cited for Europe Global emissions per year 16.0 Mt CO2e per year 2023 · 5.0 t CO2e/t x 3.27 Mt (indicative)

Per t of liquid epoxy resin, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: derived from BPA and caustic soda tiles; ECH footprint and range indicative. Global total: derived.

#### Share of footprint by lifecycle phase
 Feedstock 84% Production / process 14% Movement 2%

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | about 4.2 t CO2e per t | 84% | BPA (about 1.5 t) and ECH (about 2.5 t); chlorine power on coal grids | GTE (glycerine) ECH lowers the ECH share | derived |
| **Production / process** | about 0.7 t CO2e per t (indicative) | 14% | Steam for ECH recovery and brine treatment |  | indicative |
| **Movement** | about 0.1 t CO2e per t (indicative) | 2% | Container shipping from East Asia |  | indicative |
| **Use** | not applicable to the resin | – | Cure is not combustion | Coatings extend steel life; blades enable wind power. Amine hardeners and solvents emit VOCs | n/a |
| **End of life** | about 2.7 t CO2 per t if incinerated (indicative) | – | Thermoset cannot be remelted; blades are landfilled, cut up or co-processed in cement kilns | Solvolysis and pyrolysis recycling are early stage | stoichiometry (about 75% carbon), indicative |

#### Other environmental impacts

Chlorinated wastewater and brine from the allyl chloride ECH route; ECH and BPA toxicity; wind blade waste (thermoset composite) as the first generation of blades retires.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Glycerine-based ECH instead of the allyl chloride route
- Renewable power for the chlorine behind ECH
- Recyclable epoxy systems and blade recycling (solvolysis, pyrolysis, cement kiln co-processing)
- Mass-balance bio-based phenol and acetone for BPA
- Longer coating life to reduce repainting

#### India

India's epoxy footprint is tied to imported BPA and to coal-based power for chlorine. Grasim makes its own chlorine and caustic, so a renewable-power shift at its chlor-alkali sites would cut the ECH share. India's ageing wind fleet will create blade waste (indicative).
 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-based ECH from glycerine (GTE)** | not published; lower than allyl chloride route (indicative) | small or none when glycerine is cheap (indicative) | commercial in Asia and Europe at 50-150 kt/yr scale (indicative) | indicative |
| **Recyclable blade epoxy (Siemens Gamesa RecyclableBlade; Vestas solvolysis)** | not published | not published | first commercial blades installed (indicative) | indicative |

 For a climate investor Two practical angles for India: blade recycling and co-processing capacity as early wind farms repower, and bio-ECH from glycerine to supply Indian epoxy makers who now enjoy duty protection. A BPA plant (Reliance, Deepak, see BPA tile) would localise the chain but not cut emissions by itself. The 2025 duties make domestic capacity more bankable, which helps green upgrades at new plants.

## Other sections

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