Dyneon GmbH | Environmental Statement

What does Dyneon manufacture?

It has been producing fluoropolymers at its site in Gendorf since 1963.

It now produces a total of 15,000 tonnes annually that is supplied to further manufacturing processes worldwide, with Dyneon achieving 40 – 60 % of sales in applications that make a considerable contribution to the long-term protection of the environment.

Fluoropolymers are versatile, high quality plastics distinguished by special features. In many areas they are the key to driving forward environmental protection.

For example, a chemical and temperature-resistant plastic, which shows minimal signs of ageing, is crucial for the flue gas desulphurisation of power plants. Fluoropolymers have the right properties to allow for the manufacture and use of innovative, highly effective seals for industrial plants, equipment and engines. Protective films for solar cells are made from fluoropolymers and therefore serve to produce renewable energies. Hoses and seals in automotive and aircraft manufacture contain fluoroplastics which increase resistance to aggressive elements in biodiesel and reduce emissions from volatile fuels. Using these high performance plastics increases the service life of consumer goods as well as plant and equipment. This, in turn, reduces the volumes of energy consumption and waste in society.

Fluoropolymers are also ideal materials for use in aggressive chemical and thermal environments. They are therefore used to protect against corrosion in plant and equipment in the chemical industry. Their low flammability and good electrical properties are particularly beneficial in cable insulation. In architecture, fluoropolymers open up entirely new design possibilities in roof construction thanks to low aging in addition to waste and dirt-resistance. They are also used as coatings for textiles or as textile fabrics. In addition they are found in daily use applications such as the frying pan which is popular due to good anti-stick properties resulting from the fluoropolymer coating.

Does manufacture ensure responsible handling of the environment?

The plant and equipment used to manufacture fluoropolymers are constructed in such a way that ensures that raw materials and energy are saved, recycled and fed back into the production cycle. Process waste gases, as well as petrol and the emulsifier used in polymerisation, are also recycled. Waste water from the production stages is cleaned and re-used in other process steps. Some polymer waste is separately sorted and undergoes further processing to produce finished products. Furthermore, a number of highly efficient systems for the treatment of exhaust air and waste water purification are used in order to minimise the impact on the environment . The auxiliary agent PFOA was already eliminated and replaced in the manufacture of Dyneon's entire product range in 2008.

Dyneon GmbH operates an integrated management system for safety in the environment, workplace, plant, equipment and quality. This is documented in manuals, procedural instructions and working instructions and is supplemented by the guiding principles of the Gendorf plant (GIMS) in addition to the standards of the holding company 3M. Regular checks and certifications form an integral part of this system. The company is certified to the international standards ISO 9001 (quality management) and ISO 14001 (environmental management) and to OHRIS (safety management).

The Dyneon operation at Gendorf is subject to Germany's Hazardous Incident Ordinance. All process steps and parts of the plant and equipment are therefore systematically checked on a regular basis. ""Extended obligations"" have been used since mid-2011 that require comprehensive reporting and supervision by the authorities.

What are Dyneon's environmental programme and environmental targets?

With its environmental programme Dyneon GmbH is following the guiding principles of sustainability and therefore supports the universal goals of the industrial park of the Gendorf plant and the targets of the holding company 3M in equal measure.

As an essential part of this programme, Dyneon has successfully developed a patented process in collaboration with a research group of Bayreuth University that now makes it technically possible to almost completely recycle perfluorinated polymers, such as PTFE. A demonstration plant currently under discussion at Dyneon will allow for the virtually complete recycling of up to 500 tonnes of PTFE in the initial development phase for conversion back valuable raw materials.

Dyneon is pursuing one further goal, in particular in the course of extending production capacities at the Gendorf site: in building the new plant Dyneon is investing in additional processes that raise the retention and recycling rates for fluoroorganic substances in exhaust air and waste water even further. The specific objective here is that the emissions that were very successfully reduced in the past remain constant despite the extension in capacity.

In collaboration with InfraServ GmbH and Co. Gendorf KG, public authorities and the help of a renowned assessor, Dyneon further supports a detailed investigation into residues from past PFOA emissions. Traces of these substances have, in particular, been found in soil and groundwater. It should be possible to make a statement about the exact origin and long-term presence.