Hainan Rubber develops ‘China’s first’ carbon footprint standard for NR products

Haikou, China – Hainan Natural Rubber Industry Group Co. and Chinese certification body Hangzhou Wantai have jointly issued what they describe as “China’s first carbon footprint standard for natural rubber products.”

The group standard, titled ‘greenhouse gas product carbon footprint quantification methodology and requirements for natural rubber (NR) products’ (T/HNECER 0001-2025), was officially released on 11 July in Haikou.

It sets out methods for calculating and disclosing greenhouse gas emissions from NR products, marking the first time such a framework has been introduced in China.

In a 13 Oct statement, Hainan Rubber said the initiative reflects its “deep integration and coordinated promotion” of three key practices — technological digitalisation, green ecology and social responsibility.

The company said the standard provides a “scientific, transparent and traceable” approach to quantifying emissions.

To this end, Hainan Rubber has built a “smart rubber collection platform” and other digital systems to manage production operations and collect real-time data on raw materials and energy use.

The data-driven approach, the company noted, enables ‘carbon footprint accounting’ and creates what the company described as a clear “carbon label” for its products.

It is also intended to help improve energy efficiency and support digital management across the rubber supply chain.

In terms of ‘green ecology’, Hainan Rubber said its certification process also reflects “long-term commitment to ecological protection” through environmentally responsible planting, sustainable plantations certified by the FSC, and energy-saving upgrades at processing plants.

The company said these measures have helped reduce the carbon footprint of its Meilian brand concentrated latex products, which have been certified by Wantai under ISO 14067 using the new group standard.

For social responsibility, Hainan Rubber said it is “setting an industry benchmark”, namely through developing the standard.

The initiative, it said, provides a “Chinese solution” to international green trade requirements and offers downstream customers transparent emissions data to support their own low-carbon procurement.

The company said it will continue to strengthen the integration of “technological digitalisation, green ecology and social responsibility” as part of efforts to advance sustainable development in China’s NR industry.