Study shows the use of North Charleston-based Ingevity’s Nuchar activated carbon in automotive applications and canisters offset greenhouse gases generated in their manufacture by 10 times

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Ingevity Corporation (NYSE:NGVT) today announced that a study conducted by consulting firm ERM, London, U.K., has determined that the use of Ingevity’s Nuchar® activated carbon to reduce or eliminate gasoline vapor emissions offsets the volume of greenhouse gases (GHG) generated in its manufacture, as well as the manufacture of the canister that contains the carbon, by a factor of 10. ERM is a leading global provider of environmental, health, safety, risk, social consulting services, and sustainability-related services, and relied on an approach consistent with ISO 14040 principles to conduct this GHG life cycle assessment.

Ingevity is the world technology leader in the manufacture of activated carbon technology for gasoline vapor emissions control. The company’s Nuchar products are highly porous activated carbons with an optimal pore size for capturing and releasing gasoline molecules. With more than 40 years of experience in this application, Ingevity’s reputation among regulatory bodies around the world looking to improve air quality through more stringent regulations is unparalleled.

“We’ve known for a long time that broad use of our activated carbon products provides a significant environmental benefit. Our activated carbon products capture gasoline vapors before they can emit as pollution and enable them to be directed into the engine instead. So, our products not only provide emissions control, but they also provide energy recovery,” said Ed Woodcock, executive vice president and president, Performance Materials for Ingevity. “This work by ERM helps us more precisely quantify the greenhouse gas reduction benefit our technology brings to purifying the air we all breathe,” Woodcock added that globally its activated carbon products help to return the equivalent of 8 million gallons of gasoline each day to power vehicles.

According to the results of the ERM study, the GHG impacts associated with the Nuchar activated carbon products manufactured in 2019 totaled 468,813 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent. The full total was offset by 5,090,000 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent in avoided gasoline production over the life of the vehicles evaluated in this study because the captured gasoline vapors are fed back into the engine. The total Scope 1 and 2 (as defined by the World Resources Institute’s GHG Protocol Corporate Standard) GHG impact from the energy consumed in manufacturing the activated carbon products was 197,754 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent, as calculated by Ingevity. ERM used life cycle modeling methods to quantify the Scope 3 GHG impact, accounting for 271,059 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent, which included the transportation and manufacturing of raw materials, fuel and electricity sourcing, and transportation of finished goods. The study also included the manufacturing and transportation related to the canisters which hold Ingevity’s carbon inside a vehicle, representing 184,356 metric tons of CO₂-equivalent out of the calculated Scope 3 impact.

Woodcock pointed out that the study only pertains to greenhouse gases. The company also estimates that the use of its Nuchar activated carbon products in automotive applications collectively prevents more than 20,000 metrics tons of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions each day from being emitted into the environment via gasoline vapors.

For more information on the ERM / Ingevity net product benefit study related to Nuchar activated carbon, please visit https://www.ingevity.com/sustainability/product-benefits/.

Ingevity: Purify, Protect and Enhance

Ingevity provides specialty chemicals, high-performance carbon materials and engineered polymers that purify, protect, and enhance the world around us. Through a team of talented and experienced people, Ingevity develops, manufactures, and brings to market products and processes that help customers solve complex problems. These products are used in a variety of demanding applications, including asphalt paving, oil exploration and production, agrochemicals, adhesives, lubricants, publication inks, coatings, elastomers, bioplastics and automotive components that reduce gasoline vapor emissions. Headquartered in North Charleston, South Carolina, Ingevity operates from 25 locations around the world and employs approximately 1,850 people. The company is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: NGVT). For more information visit www.ingevity.com.