Gelsenkirchen – Since 01/01/2022, another component has been added to the circular business model Planet ZINQ: Low Carbon ZINQ. With a package of measures relating to the use and consumption of zinc, the European market leader is implementing its consistent decarbonisation strategy. For customers, this means higher credits on their ZINQ CO₂ accounts.

As part of our Cradle to Cradle commitment, we are setting another milestone here in the direction of circularity and decarbonisation of ZINQ processes and products. Based on the triple objective of our circular business model [zero carbon, zero waste, zero pollution], we are making enormous efforts together with our suppliers to reduce the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) of our products through innovation. To this end, we are using low carbon primary zinc from the zinc producer Boliden, for example. The zinc is produced in Norway exclusively using renewable energy from hydro and wind power – just as ZINQ has been producing with green electricity since 2013. At the same time, we are increasing the volumes of low-CO₂ secondary zinc we use and optimising our zinc alloys to reduce the consumption of valuable zinc. With the Low Carbon ZINQ measures, we are lowering our CO₂ emissions and our surfaces are becoming even more circular, emphasises Lars Baumgürtel, Managing Partner of the ZINQ Group, highlighting the positive impact of low carbon innovations.

Positive impacts on the environmental product declarations of ZINQ Oberflächen

Dr Birgitt Bendiek, Technical Director at ZINQ, adds: „We calculate the CO₂ emissions and savings associated with duroZINQ and microZINQ hot-dip galvanised surfaces on the basis of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). The measures and activities associated with Planet ZINQ mean that, in terms of CO₂ savings alone, we outperform the industry average by over 25 %. With every further innovation in the field of zinc as a raw material – be it in primary zinc, secondary zinc or in closing material cycles, such as through our ReZINQ system – we improve the carbon footprint of our ZINQ surfaces. We calculate this as part of the preparation of the EPD, and it also forms the basis for determining the CO₂ credits for our customers.“ The Planet ZINQ circular business model, in which the industry’s eco-pioneer – a multi-award-winning climate protection company – has invested heavily, is the practical implementation of a fully circular economic approach – documented in circular product passports. It serves as a prime example of how an energy- and resource-intensive company can, in line with the objectives of a circular economy, combine efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources and translate this into durable ZINQ surfaces of circular quality. As a result, since last year the company has been able to credit the savings to all customers’ CO₂ accounts.

Building upon this, instruments introduced as part of Planet ZINQ, such as the digital, circular product passport, are well suited to forming a basis for policy incentives to promote the practical implementation of the Green Deal's triple objective (zero carbon, zero waste, zero pollution) and thereby encourage the purchase of durable products with proven circular quality. Lars Baumgürtel comments on this: "For instance, the CO₂ amounts saved by ZINQ customers could be offset through remuneration aligned with the price level of the currently applicable CO₂ price in Germany. This would reward the smart decision to buy a product of proven circular quality."