Hankook to provide sustainable coagulants to NR suppliers

Seoul—Hankook Tire & Technology Co. Ltd. is stepping up its sustainability efforts with a new measure to provide Indonesian rubber farmers with environmentally friendly coagulants.

The production of natural rubber begins with a small rubber lump, created through coagulation of natural rubber latex collected by the farmers, Hankook said in a Jan. 12 statement.

Various types of coagulants are used for rubber lump manufacturing, but some could affect the safety of farmers and ecosystems.

To tackle the issue, Hankook said it is providing 6,000 liters of formic acid, an eco-friendly coagulant, to more than 100 local rubber farmers working for rubber processor Kirana in West Kalimantan, Indonesia.

According to Hankook, formic acid brings less damage to trees and carries a lower risk of water pollution compared to other coagulants.

Formic acid can also provide safety at work with lower toxicity and being less irritant.

The move, Hankook said, is in line with the tire maker's sustainability targets as part of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR).

"Supporting sustainable materials for a small but significant part of the natural rubber supply chain is only the start," said Sooil Lee, president and CEO of Hankook Tire & Technology.

"Keeping the topic of sustainability in the deepest parts of our business," he added, "we'll continue to (incorporate) environment-caring initiatives in all our business."