Asahi Photoproducts, a developer of flexographic photopolymer plate technologies, has received PAS 2050 certification by the Carbon Trust for its AWP-DEF/DEW CleanPrint water-washable flexographic plates. This certification is the starting point for Asahi to implement a Carbon Management Plan in order to drive product development in harmony with the environment.

The ultimate goal is to achieve PAS 2060 Carbon Neutral certification soon. These efforts are in line with the Carbon Neutrality Policy of Asahi Kasei Group, with the ambition of the entire corporate operation becoming carbon neutral by 2050.

“For many years, Asahi Photoproducts has recognized that climate change is a serious global issue, impacting both the natural environment and society as a whole,” says Dieter Niederstadt, technical marketing manager at Asahi Photoproducts, a subsidiary of Asahi Kasei. “Its group mission has been, and continues to be, to contribute to life and living for people around the world. This Carbon Trust certification is an important step for us toward the achievement of Carbon Neutral status. PAS 2050 takes a process life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to evaluating the GHG emissions associated with goods or services, enabling companies like ours to identify ways to minimize emissions across the entire product system.”

In concluding this LCA study with the Carbon Trust, Asahi Photoproducts considered all aspects of the product system for AWP– DEF/DEW flexographic plates, from acquisition of raw materials used through to the end of life of the products. Asahi Photoproducts collected primary data from their manufacturing facilities for all processes in the product life cycle. Where primary data was not available, this was supplemented by secondary data provided by the Carbon Trust. Being able to measure the existing carbon footprint and establishing specific goals for reducing it is the first step toward becoming Carbon Neutral.

Niederstadt adds, “No one individual, company or government can single-handedly cure the climate crisis. It takes universal, global collaboration and cooperation to get the world to a point where climate deterioration is mitigated, or even fully abated. Asahi Photoproducts, is proud to be contributors to this worldwide effort.”