BASF is expanding its EcoBalanced portfolio in North America with the launch of its first EcoBalanced products for personal care in the region. The company announced that its cocoamidopropyl betaine ingredients, Dehyton PK 45 and Dehyton KE UP, are now certified as EcoBalanced grades through a biomass balance (BMB) approach.

Betaines are commonly used as secondary surfactants in personal and home care products such as body washes and toothpaste. These ingredients enhance foam generation, increase product viscosity, and help minimize skin irritation—key benefits that contribute to better cleansing performance and a more pleasant user experience.

The EcoBalanced certification supports the shift from fossil-based to renewable raw materials through a certified mass balance method. At the beginning of the production process, an equivalent amount of renewable resources replaces fossil materials and is then attributed to the final product. This transition significantly lowers the cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint compared with conventional counterparts.

The BMB approach used in these products is verified under the REDcert2 certification scheme, which ensures that fossil resources are correctly replaced with certified renewable materials and that proper attribution practices are followed. BASF plans to make these EcoBalanced grades available in the first quarter of 2025.

Production of these EcoBalanced betaine products will take place at BASF’s site in Mauldin, South Carolina. This facility will become the second Care Chemicals production site in the U.S. to receive BMB certification. BASF’s Geismar, Louisiana, site earned certification in 2023 for its home care polymer Sokalan HP 20.

In addition to product innovation, BASF is also advancing its sustainability efforts across its manufacturing network. As of 2024, six of BASF’s Care Chemicals sites in the U.S. are powered entirely by renewable energy. Facilities in Cincinnati, Ohio; Mauldin and White Stone (Spartanburg), South Carolina; Theodore, Alabama; Washington, New Jersey; and East Setauket, New York, are now running on energy sourced from solar and wind power. These efforts are supported primarily through renewable energy credits (RECs) generated by BASF’s virtual power purchase agreements (vPPAs).

With this expansion of the EcoBalanced portfolio, BASF is reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and providing its customers with innovative, lower-carbon alternatives that meet the growing demand for more environmentally conscious personal care products.

BASF’s Care Chemicals division provides a wide portfolio of ingredients used in personal care, home care, industrial and institutional cleaning, and various technical applications. As a global leader in the cosmetics and cleaning product industries, BASF delivers innovative, sustainable products, solutions and concepts to support its customers’ evolving needs.