Sustainable Corrosion Protection
Cortec's biobased, biodegradable, and compostable products help you protect metal assets while protecting the planet.
The Environmental Challenge
Traditional corrosion protection comes at an environmental cost. Cortec has spent decades building a better alternative.
For generations, the standard approach to corrosion protection has relied on petroleum-based oils, greases, and solvent-based coatings. These products work, but they come with significant environmental drawbacks: hazardous chemicals that require special handling and disposal, non-recyclable plastic packaging, volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, and contaminated waste streams from degreasing and cleaning processes.
Cortec Corporation recognised this problem decades ago and made a strategic commitment to developing corrosion protection products that are genuinely sustainable — not as a marketing exercise, but as a core engineering principle. The result is a comprehensive range of biobased, biodegradable, and compostable products that match or exceed the performance of their petroleum-based equivalents.
USDA Certified Biobased Products
The USDA BioPreferred certification is an independent, government-backed verification that a product is made from renewable biological resources rather than petroleum. It is not a self-declared claim — it requires third-party testing and verification of biobased content.
Many Cortec products carry this certification, meaning they are formulated from plant-based and other renewable biological feedstocks. This reduces dependence on fossil fuels and lowers the environmental impact of manufacturing.
Certified biobased products include:
- EcoShield VpCI-144 Barrier Paper — fully recyclable and repulpable VCI paper that replaces polyethylene- and wax-coated papers
- CorShield VpCI-146 Papers — VCI papers made from renewable resources for interleaving and wrapping
- EcoLine Rust Preventatives — biobased liquid rust preventatives that replace petroleum-based oils
What Biobased Means
Renewable feedstocks: Made from plant-based and biological raw materials, not petroleum.
Third-party verified: Biobased content independently tested and certified by the USDA.
No performance compromise: Biobased formulations deliver the same corrosion protection as conventional products.
Federal procurement preferred: USDA BioPreferred products are given preference in US federal purchasing — a mark of credibility recognised globally.
Biodegradable & Compostable
VCI packaging that protects your metals and then breaks down naturally at end of life.
EcoCortec, Cortec Corporation's European manufacturing facility in Croatia, specialises in producing biodegradable VCI films and packaging. These products are engineered to break down naturally through biological processes, unlike conventional polyethylene films that persist in the environment for centuries.
Cortec also produces certified compostable VCI papers that can be disposed of through commercial composting facilities. These papers provide the same multi-metal corrosion protection as conventional VCI papers but leave no lasting environmental footprint.
The critical point is that these sustainable alternatives perform identically to conventional VCI products. Switching to biodegradable or compostable packaging does not mean accepting lower corrosion protection performance — it means getting the same results with a dramatically lower environmental impact.
The Future is Circular
Cortec products are designed to support circular economy principles — reducing waste, extending asset life, and closing the loop on materials that would otherwise end up in landfill.
Reusable Packaging
Many VCI films and bags can be reused multiple times before end of life, reducing the total volume of packaging consumed across your supply chain.
Compostable Materials
When VCI packaging does reach end of life, compostable options ensure it returns to the earth rather than accumulating in landfill.
Water-Based Formulations
Water-based VpCI coatings and cleaners eliminate the need for petroleum solvents, reducing hazardous waste and simplifying disposal.
ESG Reporting Support
Switching to Cortec biobased products gives you documented, verifiable data for sustainability reports, helping you meet ESG targets and procurement requirements.
Cortec® Corporation: Environmental Management Certified
Cortec® Corporation holds ISO 14001:2015 certification for environmental management. This internationally recognised standard requires a systematic approach to identifying, managing, and reducing environmental impact across all manufacturing operations.
Cortec®'s environmental management system covers everything from raw material sourcing and manufacturing to packaging and distribution. It ensures that sustainability is not an afterthought but a structured, audited part of how their products are developed and produced.
As their authorised distributor in Ireland, Cortec®'s ISO 14001 certification gives our clients confidence that their corrosion protection supply chain is managed responsibly from manufacturer to end user.
How We Help You Go Green
Practical ways Cortec products reduce your environmental impact without compromising corrosion protection performance.
Reduce Plastic Waste
Biodegradable VCI films replace traditional polyethylene plastic packaging. They deliver the same multi-metal corrosion protection but break down naturally at end of life, keeping plastic out of landfill and the environment.
Eliminate Toxic Chemicals
Replace petroleum-based oils, greases, and solvent-based coatings with water-based, non-toxic VpCI alternatives. No hazardous degreasing required. No VOC emissions. Safe for handlers and the environment.
Meet ESG Targets
Document your switch from petroleum-based corrosion protection to USDA Certified Biobased products. Provide verifiable sustainability data for ESG reports, procurement audits, and corporate sustainability programmes.
Lower Carbon Footprint
Biobased manufacturing uses renewable biological feedstocks with lower carbon intensity than petroleum-based alternatives. Switching to Cortec biobased products directly reduces the carbon footprint of your corrosion protection programme.
Ready to Make Your Corrosion Protection Sustainable?
Talk to our team about switching to biobased, biodegradable corrosion protection products.