Sustainable handling of raw materials that are used for the manufacture of products is not only beneficial for the environment for obvious reasons, but is also important with regard to cost considerations and the reduction of supply shortfalls. As in future fluctuations in raw material prices can be expected, a transition to a circular economy in the procurement, consumption, and disposal of products is recommended, in which residues and wastes become the source of new products. The simplest way to avoid costs and reduce environmental impacts is to use the smallest possible amount of raw materials.

Clariant gives top priority to the avoidance of waste: »Avoidance before reuse before disposal.« This is why consideration is taken to generate the least possible amount of waste in the development and manufacture of products. Unavoidable production waste is recycled or disposed of properly. Each type of waste is recorded, analyzed as precisely as possible, and described. In this process, the aspects of waste from production, recycling, waste from the utilization phase as well as biodegradability of products – where this is necessary and makes sense based on the product criteria – are also considered by the Portfolio Value Program as part of the screening (see Portfolio Value Program).