Navigating the montan wax challenge with renewable alternatives for polymers

The fundamental problem with montan wax: a finite resource

Montan waxes are extracted from lignite, a fossil fuel with a fundamental constraint: it is finite and non-renewable, meaning it will eventually run out. Unlike natural renewable crops that regrow, such as rice plants which produce non-edible rice bran wax, lignite deposits took millions of years to form and cannot regenerate. These deposits, particularly in Germany where much montan wax originates, are actively being depleted. This geological reality means that even without environmental regulations, lignite – and therefore montan wax – is expected to become harder to get at the right quality and quantity and one day may become simply unavailable. Beyond resource depletion, lignite processing is a strong greenhouse gas emission contributor, accelerating global warming and disrupting ecosystems, while open-cast mining could lead to deforestation and biodiversity disruption.

The market impact is already visible. In the last couple of years, the market has already experienced montan wax supply issues due to a decline in availability, steadily driving price increases, causing inventory challenges, planning complexity and higher production costs. In addition, increasing regulatory pressure on fossil-based materials and growing demand for sustainable alternatives are accelerating the shift toward low-carbon options like rice bran wax.

Renewable alternatives

As lignite exploitation faces increasing challenges due to expected reserve depletion, environmental impact of open-mining and growing regulatory pressure on fossil-based materials, Clariant's Licocare™ RBW Vita portfolio, derived from renewable rice bran wax, offers not just a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based montan wax with a 98% renewable carbon index and a significantly lower carbon footprint, but also a strategic advantage through long-term availability being based on the non-edible fraction of a renewable crop.

Food contact

Food contact materials face some of the most stringent safety requirements in the chemical industry. Manufacturers providing additives for food packaging, food processing equipment, or any food-contact application must navigate a complex web of approvals from regulatory bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Licocare RBW Vita products have already obtained certain food contact approvals under multiple regulatory frameworks such as FDA, EFSA and the Japanese food safety authority for use in various polymers and applications. This advances the Licocare RBW Vita product range to become the future product of choice as a valid and more sustainable alternative to fossil-based montan waxes.

Breakthrough in EFSA food contact status: Our Licocare RBW 100 – 300 series, including RBW 360 and 560 have obtained EFSA approval as additive for up to 0.3% in PET, PLA, and rigid PVC materials and articles intended for contact with non-fatty foods, at room temperature and below, including hot-fill and or heating up to 100° C for up to 2 hours. The 20th Amendment of (EU) 10/2011 Plastics Regulation was published by the European Commission on February 2, 2026, including the listing on the Annex 1 positive list. The amendment has come into force on February 23, 2026.

Spotlight on saponified grades Licocare™ RBW 360 Vita and 560 Vita: Expert Q&A with Diederik Goyvaerts, Market Manager Additives

What are Licocare RBW 360 Vita and RBW 560 Vita and what applications are they designed for?

Both Licocare RBW 360 Vita and RBW 560 Vita are saponified rice bran waxes, providing dual benefits of lubrication and nucleation in engineering plastics. They are typically used in injection molding applications, combining excellent nucleating and lubricating effects in a single additive.

Licocare RBW 360 Vita is recommended for use in polyamide, while RBW 560 Vita is recommended for polyester applications. In PA 6.6 applications, as an example, we have seen cooling cycle reductions of up to 70%, which translates to significantly improved production efficiency and faster throughput.

Both Licocare RBW 360 Vita and 560 Vita, exhibit excellent thermal stability at high processing temperatures. They work effectively at low dosages, create smooth surfaces and improve dimensional stability of the finished articles, while maintaining mechanical properties.

Like the entire Licocare RBW product range, they are derived from bio-based, renewable, non-food competing feedstock, addressing the growing traditional montan wax supply challenges And they contribute to reduced carbon footprint, significantly lowering scope 3 emissions for our customers. Both have food contact approvals. For more information, please contact your nearest Clariant location.

Can Licocare RBW grades be used in polymers beyond polyamides and polyesters?

Absolutely. Beyond the specialized RBW 360 Vita and RBW 560 Vita grades, the Licocare RBW Vita portfolio offers sustainable alternatives for a broad range of polymers including polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, PVC, TPU, and various engineering plastics. All grades are derived from bio-based, renewable, non-food competing feedstock, addressing supply challenges with traditional montan wax while significantly lowering Scope 3 emissions for customers.

What performance advantages do Licocare RBW rice bran wax additives offer in general?

Beyond addressing supply chain vulnerabilities and environmental impact, Licocare RBW products are multifunctional additives that provide multiple performance benefits. They provide outstanding internal and external lubrication characteristics in polymer processing, improving melt flow and reducing friction between the polymer melt and hot metallic surfaces. This enables easier processing and smooth surface quality of the processed articles.

As nucleation agents, in particular Licocare RBW 360 Vita and RBW 560 Vita, they deliver excellent nucleation effects enhancing crystallization speeds. This enables faster cycle times and improved mechanical properties in semi-crystalline polymers.

As dispersing agents, rice bran wax-based additives function as excellent organic pigment dispersants, improving color consistency and processability while reducing dispersion time in compounding operations. Their favorable chemical structure provides high thermal stability and low volatility.

As release agents, the Licocare RBW Vita range provides effective mold release via reduced demolding force for injection molded parts. In doing so they contribute to faster cycle times, reduced scrap rates while maintaining optimal surface quality. Low migration tendency ensures that surface properties remain stable over time.

And importantly, with the typical 0.1-0.5% use levels in most applications, they contribute to a favorable and competitive cost-in-use versus fossil-based alternatives.

What are the sustainability benefits beyond regulatory compliance?

While mid- to long-term supply security might drive initial interest, the environmental & sustainability profile offers compelling additional benefits. Licocare RBW Vita products have a 98% renewable carbon index, and deliver significant lower product carbon footprints compared to fossil-based montan waxes. This enables manufacturers to make real progress toward corporate sustainability goals while maintaining performance.

Additional environmental advantages include biodegradability and industrial compostability, reduced landscape disruption and biodiversity impact compared to lignite mining, renewable feedstock from non-food-competing agricultural by-products, and significant Scope 3 emissions reduction for our customers.

How do I choose the right grade for my application?

The Licocare RBW Vita portfolio includes multiple grades optimized for many different substrates and applications. This flexibility enables manufacturers to select the optimal grade for their specific application requirements. Our technical team is available to help identify the best solution.

Conclusion

The montan wax supply challenge is not temporary, it's structural. With lignite reserves depleting, supply constraints increasing, and sustainability requirements growing, manufacturers face a choice: react to supply disruptions as they occur or proactively transition to renewable alternatives that are already approved and ready to perform. Licocare™ RBW Vita offers a multi-functional, solution-oriented approach that helps simplify formulations. They exhibit carbon footprint reductions and are fit for use in many food-contact applications. All this while providing value-adding performance in the applications. For manufacturers, choosing renewable alternatives no longer means compromising on performance or regulatory compliance.

Appendix

Understanding food contact approvals: why they matter

Food contact materials (FCMs) encompass substances intended to come in contact with food or beverages of all kinds – in different applications including packaging films and containers to processing equipment, conveyor belts, kitchen utensils, and production machinery. These applications can involve many different materials, such as plastics, rubber, metals, ceramics, or paper. Within plastic applications, food contact substances include additives such as wax lubricants, stabilizers, colorants, and processing aids that enable critical functions: preventing discoloration in reusable containers, providing non-stick properties in food processing equipment, or ensuring proper flow during processing and manufacturing. The regulatory challenge is to ensure that no harmful chemicals from these materials end up in food via (amongst others) migration. Major regulatory authorities such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), require rigorous safety evaluations based on migration and toxicological data to protect consumer health.

In the United States, the FDA regulates food-contact plastics primarily through Food Contact Notifications (FCNs). Companies submit safety data demonstrating that substances meet safe migration limits; if the FDA raises no objections within 120 days, the notification becomes effective for the specified uses. Specialized attorneys issue Letters of No Objection (LONOs) for substances that have been reviewed and deemed compliant with FDA regulations but are not explicitly listed in formal authorizations – often used for repeated-use applications like food processing equipment.

In the European Union, EFSA conducts scientific safety evaluations under Regulation (EU) 10/2011. Substances that pass EFSA's assessment are recommended for inclusion in Annex I – the positive list of authorized substances – with defined migration limits, if applicable, to ensure consumer safety. Importantly, FDA compliance alone does not satisfy EU requirements; products must meet EU-specific regulations, though they may additionally hold FDA approvals.

In Asia, food contact regulations operate differently. Unlike the centralized systems of FDA and EFSA, Asian countries maintain independent regulatory frameworks with country-specific requirements. China regulates plastics through the GB 4806 series and GB 9685 additives standard, which establish positive lists of approved substances and migration limits. Japan operates under the Food Sanitation Act with a Positive List for synthetic resins that has been mandatory since 2020. South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety sets specific standards for plastic food contact materials, including overall migration limits and recent provisions for recycled plastics. While these systems vary by country, the regional trend mirrors global developments: positive lists of approved substances, stricter migration testing requirements, and enhanced labeling rules – particularly for multilayer and recycled plastics. For manufacturers operating across multiple markets, this means navigating distinct approval processes in each Asian country, making pre-approved materials valuable for reducing regulatory complexity.