38 SUSTAINABILITY
Figure 1: Illustration demonstrating the cycle of CO2 Take biogenic carbon as an example.
Biobased raw materials, such as from plants, release ‘biogenic’ carbon emissions, which were initially sequestered (‘taken in’ by the plant via photosynthesis) from the atmosphere during the growth of that plant. When released at end-of-life, this biogenic
carbon can be reabsorbed by new plants – a cycle occurring on ‘human’ timescales. As a result, biogenic carbon emissions have no net impact on atmospheric GHG levels over the lifecycle. By contrast, fossil-derived materials release
carbon emissions that are part of a much longer lifecycle, with millions of years involved in their creation and geological storage. The fossil-derived carbon that is released therefore only adds to
100
e from biobased versus fossil-derived sources. © Deedster, Kai Hidate, crownlab and llvllagic via
Canva.com
atmospheric GHG levels. To account for the benefit of sequestered
carbon contained in biobased materials, the biobased carbon content can be calculated. From this, how much CO2
was absorbed from the
atmosphere during its growth can be deduced. This is known as a biogenic removal and can
be shown on a PCF statement as a negative value in CO2
of product (such as kgCO2e/kg).
Why biogenic data matters in formulation Every cosmetic ingredient has a carbon footprint shaped by its lifecycle – from raw material extraction and processing through to the
e units (carbon dioxide equivalents) per unit
manufacture of the finished product. As the market moves in favour of a low-carbon economy, brands will need to adapt.2 Measuring cradle-to-gate PCFs at the
ingredient level provides actionable insights: which raw materials offer the greatest net carbon benefit or challenge? Which processing routes are most efficient? Where are the biggest opportunities for improvement? Are there any quick-wins? Mastering this data transforms ingredient selection from somewhat intuitive exercise into a strategic, measurable advantage. Identifying biogenic carbon within this
analysis enables more accurate comparisons between biobased products and petrochemical- based alternatives by providing lifecycle-specific insights that CO2
e reporting, without biogenic
carbon removal, does not. Many petrochemical manufacturing processes
80 60 40
are highly efficient following years of optimisation and economies of scale. This, coupled with a lack of quantitative consideration for biogenic content, may give the impression that biobased options have a carbon footprint very similar, or potentially even worse than their fossil-derived counterparts. However, when biogenic carbon removals and emissions are properly accounted for and the CO2 removal during biomass growth is acknowledged, the climate benefit of biobased materials (and the sequestered CO2
that is trapped as carbon within 20
them) becomes clear. This improves transparency and integrity of
10
Petrochemical equivalent PCF incl. biogenic removals
ECO Brij O10 MBAL PCF incl. biogenic removals
Figure 2: Product carbon footprint of ECO Brij O10 MBAL when incorporating biogenic carbon removals (peach) compared to a petrochemical equivalent (green)
PERSONAL CARE MAGAZINE January 2026
PCF calculations, delivering a richer dataset and more accurate view of an ingredient’s net climate impact.
Armed with these insights, brands can balance impacts across similar ingredients, laying the groundwork for compliance and competitiveness as global standards tighten. This proactive stance
www.personalcaremagazine.com
Product Carbon Footprint (%)
57% reduction
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