Embrapa and Braskem launch project for research into nanotechnology and renewable resources
The partnership will conduct research on sugarcane bagasse, coconut husks, specific varieties of colored cotton, sisal and curaua fibers and agricultural waste to identify new raw material sources
Embrapa and Braskem are forming a scientific and technological cooperation agreement to identify cellulose nanofibers for industrial use from among various different vegetable sources, targeting those that offer the highest yields and best performance and are also biodegradable. The project, which will be officially launched on November 25 at the inauguration ceremony for the General Head of Embrapa Instrumentação, Luiz Henrique Capparelli Mattoso, will receive support from the São Paulo State Research Support Foundation (Fapesp) and the Foundation for Industrial Research and Advancement (Fipai).
With an execution period of three years and R$500,000 in funding, the project is part of the Program to Support Research in Partnership with Technological Innovation (PITE) of Fapesp, which will contribute R$252,000 in funds, while the remaining R$248,000 will be provided by Braskem. The program will provide financial support for cooperative research projects to be executed in partnership with both public and private university and research institutions in the state of São Paulo.
The first step was taken when Braskem and Fapesp signed an agreement for scientific and technological cooperation under the scope of the PITE Program, which means that Braskem can now select an institution to conduct research on vegetal sources. The Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), through Embrapa Instrumentação, one of its units located in São Carlos, São Paulo, is the partner institution for this research and has a long history of working together with industry.
According to General Head Luiz Henrique Capparelli Mattoso, the agreement is an important opportunity to strengthen relations with industry and will pose a challenge for science to develop technologies that can effectively be adopted, based on the market's needs for new materials derived from agricultural resources.
"This integration brings important benefits for both parties, since it provides the ideal environment for the development of scientific research and applied innovation," said Edmundo Aires, Braskem’s Vice-President of Technology and Innovation.
Three researchers and five fellows from Embrapa Instrumentação will be involved in the study to develop nanofibers from bagasse, coconut husk, specific varieties of colored cotton, sisal, curaua and agricultural waste. All the materials will be classified in accordance with the various techniques adopted by Embrapa Instrumentação, which has been studying the extraction of nanofibers for years.
Braskem
Braskem is the largest petrochemical producer in the Americas and the first company in the world to produce certified green polyethylene. Its strategy is based on competitiveness and technological autonomy in line with its commitment to foster sustainable development.
At the start of the year, Braskem also entered into a partnership with Laboratório Nacional de Biociências (LNBio), a laboratory located in Campinas, São Paulo, for the installation of a laboratory to be used by the company’s research team. In addition to its own facilities, Braskem will also have access to LNBio’s state-of-the-art equipment. The objective is to conduct research in the field of biotechnology, seeking to develop products that are sustainable and competitive economically, always using raw materials derived from renewable resources.
Braskem has the largest and most modern research complex in the Latin America, the Braskem Technology and Innovation Center, which has units at the Triunfo Complex in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, as well as in the state of São Paulo and in the United States. The Center works to develop products, processes, applications and new markets in partnership with Braskem's clients, i.e., the plastic manufacturers that form the third generation of the production chain. In this way, Braskem adds value to and increases the competitiveness of the entire petrochemicals and plastics production chain. Today Braskem produces over 15 million tons of thermoplastic resins and other petrochemical products per year.
Source: www.braskem.com.br
Cardia Bioplastics to work with Nestlé on ‘green’ packaging
Cardia Bioplastics is working with Nestlé to help it reduce the environmental impact of its packaging. According to Cardia managing director, Dr Frank Glatz, the deal “presents an exciting opportunity to develop high performance packaging with lower environmental impact”.
“In addition to offering a product with beneficial environmental profile and full food-safety compliance, delivering superior packaging performance through the product life cycle is a key criterion for success,” he added.
“Our proprietary multi-layer flexible film and rigid packaging developments are important offerings in meeting demanding packaging performance requirements.”
Source: http://www.prw.com
British-Israeli team working to make bioplastics tougher
Scientists at England's Bath University and Tel Aviv University in Israel are working on a joint project designed to improve the properties of bioplastics, allowing them to be used in a wider range of automotive products.
The effort focuses on polylactic acid (PLA), a biodegradable plastic that can be made from renewable plant sources such as corn, wheat or sugar. PLA is currently used in bottles, bags and films, and can be woven into fibres to make clothes in place of polyester.
The scientists at Bath and Tel Aviv are developing a new chemical catalyst to improve the process of making these plastics by making them stronger and more heat resistant so they can be used as a replacement for automotive plastic parts currently made from engineering plastics.
"PLA can be made up of two types of building blocks that are mirror images of each other. Using the current technology, when the plastic is made with both types present they are jumbled together within the structure of the plastic," said Prof Matthew Davidson, Whorrod Professor of Sustainable Chemical Technologies at the Bath University. "This new project will develop a selective catalyst that will build up a polymer of 'left-handed' and 'right-handed' building blocks in a structured order so that we can control the physical properties of the resulting plastic."
The project is one of 10 joint British-Israeli research projects that tackle global challenges in energy and the environment that have been selected to receive funding through the Britain-Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership, BIRAX.
Source: http://www.canplastics.com
Clear Lam with Apio, Inc. Wins PMA Packaging Impact Award
The Produce Marketing Association (PMA) has given Clear Lam Packaging, Inc. and Apio, Inc. their industry’s highest honor, recognizing the companies as 2010 Impact Award winners for their design and production of a New Pink Platter to Benefit the Fight Against Breast Cancer. The award was announced Oct. 16 at this year’s Fresh Summit International Convention & Exposition in Orlando, FL. Submissions were judged holistically, earning points for excellence in four areas: marketing, food safety, supply chain efficiency/functionality and sustainability. The combined point totals from each of these areas determined the 25 finalists and six packaging winners.
Apio donated $25,000 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the month of October. “We are proud to support Apio in their efforts to deliver a new Pink Veggie Platter to highlight the important cause of Breast Cancer Research while promoting a healthy diet low in fat and sodium. It was an honor to work with Apio and receive this recognition from our industry peers and the Produce Marketing Association,” said James Sanfilippo, president and CEO of Clear Lam Packaging, Inc. “Because of the cause marketing element, this packaging needed to stand out with consumers and we’re pleased we were able to help achieve that while providing added value to retailers.”
The new packaging will be used for a variety of fresh cut vegetables and features a novel divider to separate the individual components. The platter is compartmentalized through removable dividers and the lid provides versatility in product quantity and placement. Hermetic sealing and modified atmosphere were used in the manufacturing process to extend shelf life from 16 to 18 days. In addition, a film seal prevents contamination, provides atmosphere control and offers a tamper-resistant solution to retailers. The package includes recycled plastic. Because of its design flexibility, the packaging can be used for meats, cheeses and a variety of other snacking items in addition to fresh cut vegetables and fruits.
Founded in 1969, Clear Lam Packaging, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of rigid and flexible packaging materials for thousands of food, personal health care and other consumer products. With seven manufacturing facilities (four in the U.S. and three in China), Clear Lam employs 720 people. Vertically integrated from design to manufacturing, Clear Lam has the largest thermoforming platforms in the world. Clear Lam is committed to following manufacturing procedures that meet the highest safety standards. The company is pursuing the Safe Quality Foods (SQF®) certification as part of the Global Food Safety Initiative. Clear Lam has achieved a Superior rating from AIB International® for seven consecutive years.
Clear Lam is committed to developing environmentally friendly packaging technologies and has three product lines within its Project EarthClear™ program: packaging made from Renewable Raw Materials, packaging made from Recycled Content and Lightweighting materials. Clear Lam is one of the world’s largest extruders and thermoformers of plant-based Ingeo™ PLA.
Source: http://www.clearlam.com
Braskem & INEOS Technologies enter into a strategic partnership for polyethylene (PE) technologies
Braskem and INEOS Technologies announced today at the closing of the APLA Meeting in Rio de Janeiro that they have entered into a strategic partnership for PE technologies. Under this partnership agreement Braskem can acquire licenses for Innovene S slurry and Innovene G gas phase technologies to produce high density PE and linear low density PE in Braskem’s future petrochemical projects. In addition, Braskem and INEOS Technologies will jointly conduct research and development programs for the slurry and gas-phase PE platforms.
The first petrochemical project to benefit from the partnership is the Etileno XXI project in Mexico. This project forms the basis for the newly established Braskem IDESA S.A.P.I joint venture between Braskem and GRUPO IDESA.
The two Innovene S plants that will form part of the Etileno XXI complex in Coatzacoalcos are scheduled to start-up in January 2015.
The plants will produce a full range of monomodal and bimodal high density and medium density polyethylene resins with a total name plate capacity of 750 KTA. Key product areas to be served by the new plants include pipe, blow molded containers, injection molding parts, film, and rotomolded tanks.
Dr. Peter Williams, CEO, INEOS Technologies stated : "INEOS is delighted to be entering into this strategic partnership with Braskem. Under the agreements, INEOS Technologies will offer polyethylene licenses to Braskem’s future investments, and the two companies will work together on joint developments. The aim of the joint R&D is to help ensure that the combination of INEOS’ Innovene G and Innovene S technologies remains the leading offer to the market in Latin America and beyond, responding fully to the future needs of the polymer industry. For the Etileno XXI project, the Innovene S technology will provide high quality polyethylene resins for the much diversified high density PE market in Mexico. INEOS Technologies is proud that Innovene S technology is part of this major investment in the Latin American region".
Mr.Bernardo Gradin, President of Braskem, commented :"Our agreements with INEOS give us access to state-of-the-art high density and linear low density polyethylene technologies also allowing Braskem to directly participate in joint developments of such. This will allow Braskem to use the Innovene S and Innovene G technologies in its expansion program, starting with the Etileno XXI project with our partners GRUPO IDESA in Mexico, as well as the intended projects in Peru and Bolivia. It is a very important step in the direction of assuring to Braskem clear access to existing leading polymerization technologies, allowing the company to concentrate its efforts on the internal development of bio based renewable technology, a fundamental move to fulfill its 2020 vision of being the world’s leading renewable chemistry company".
Source: http://www.braskem.com.br
PLANTS, SUN, AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY GIVE INGEO BIOPLASTIC IMPROVED ECO CREDENTIALS
The manufacture of NatureWorks’ Ingeo™ plastic, made from plants not oil, emits fewer greenhouse gasses (GHGs) than the comparable manufacture of every other common petrochemical-based plastic, according to a peer-reviewed article published in the August 2010 edition of Industrial Biotechnology.
The article, "The eco-profile for current Ingeo polylactide production," was peer reviewed and approved for publication in Industrial Biotechnology by an independent panel of experts. The article documents the energy and GHG inputs and outputs of Ingeo production, including planting, harvesting, fermenting plant sugars, and resin production.
Plants absorb CO2 as they grow and that offsets and lowers the overall GHG emissions from Ingeo production by 61 percent. The yellow bar in the “Gross GHG Emissions” chart shows the amount of CO2 absorbed by plants. The blue bars indicate the total CO2 emitted during various stages of plant growth through polymer production. The yellow bar represents the 61 percent overall offset.
The CO2 absorbed by the growing plant not only reduces GHG emissions, but also directly replaces the fossil resources that are required as the building block for today’s petro-based polymers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Biopreferred Program and the European Union’s Lead Market Initiative are both designed to promote biobased products. The data on lowering carbon footprint presented in the article shows why these programs are important in terms of stimulating the use of biobased material over non-renewable material.
"Using renewable performance materials in lowering carbon footprints is why brand owners and retailers are becoming increasingly interested in using materials such as Ingeo biopolymer," said Marc Verbruggen, president and chief executive officer, NatureWorks. "It is one of the principal reasons Ingeo sales are climbing at a double-digit rate, and why NatureWorks is planning on building a second production facility to meet the growing demand for Ingeo."
Ingeo is the NatureWorks brand name for its portfolio of polylactide biopolymers and the study notes:
"The data provided in this report is only valid for Ingeo (polylactides produced by NatureWorks in Blair, Nebraska, USA) and not for polylactide production in general. The life cycle inventory data for polylactides that might be produced elsewhere will be different due to different raw materials (sugar or starch source) and raw material production practices, different technologies for processing these raw materials, different fermentation and polymerization technology, and different background data for electricity/fuel mixes used."
Since the NatureWorks Ingeo facility in Nebraska began production in 2002, technology improvements there have further lowered energy consumption and GHG emissions. The following charts compare the energy consumption and the GHG emissions of Ingeo and common petrochemical plastics on an equal-weight basis in the cradle-to-factory stage of their life cycle.
To view examples of how companies around the world have incorporated the Ingeo eco profile into their products, visit NatureWorks’ most recent "LookBook." Visit the NatureWorks website www.natureworksllc.com for news and product information and sign up to receive the Ingeo News newsletter.
About NatureWorks LLC
NatureWorks LLC is a company dedicated to meeting the world’s needs today without compromising the earth’s ability to meet the needs of tomorrow. NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of commercially available, low-carbon footprint Ingeo biopolymers derived from 100 percent annually renewable resources with performance and economics that compete with oil-based plastics and fibers. For more information, visit www.natureworksllc.com.
Source: www.natureworksllc.com
ODWALLA "PLANTS" SUSTAINABLE SEED WITH NEW BOTTLE INITIATIVE
Next year is looking even greener for Odwalla. The natural health beverage company announced today its plans to transition all of the brand's single-serve bottles toPlantBottle™ packaging, HDPE made of up to 100% plant-based materials* and 100 percent recyclable, in March 2011.
The new Odwalla package will help to reduce dependence on nonrenewable resources. For example, the potential annual CO2 emission reduction from the use of plant-based material, instead of petroleum, to make Odwalla's PlantBottle™ packaging is equal to a savings of almost 400,000 gallons of gas.
"Plants do such a good job of making our juice, Odwalla hired them to help make our bottles," said Alison Lewis, President, Odwalla. "Doing good things for the community and building a business with heart are core guiding principles of Odwalla's vision. PlantBottle™ packaging is just the latest step in our continued commitment to the environment."
Combined with Odwalla's Plant A Tree Program, which has planted over 300,000 trees in the last 3 years, and Odwalla's Bloom Energy Fuel Cell technology commencing at Odwalla's plant in Dinuba, CA -- which reduces the plant's carbon footprint by 35 percent while supplying 30 percent of the plant's energy needs -- PlantBottle™ packaging is the latest step in Odwalla's efforts and innovations to reduce dependence on nonrenewable resources.
PlantBottle™ packaging consists of material derived from molasses and sugarcane juice. It has the same performance as traditional HDPE and PET bottles: no differences in shelf life, weight, composition or appearance. PlantBottle™ HDPE can be recycled again and again in today's recycling facilities. The redesigned plastic represents a significant step in our sustainability efforts and in protecting the planet.
*Minimum of 96% plant-based HDPE (high-density polyethylene)
About Odwalla
Odwalla, Inc. delivers nourishment coast to coast with the Odwalla family of juices, juice drinks, smoothies, protein drinks, and nourishing food bars. Odwalla has been making juices and innovating in the natural health beverage category for 30 years. Its nourishing beverages and food bars are available in natural food stores, select supermarkets and specialty outlets throughout the country. To learn more about Odwalla products and Odwalla's commitment to the environment, please visit www.Odwalla.com . Also follow Odwalla on Facebook and Twitter (@Odwalla).
Source: http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com
reSound™ Biopolymer Compounds from PolyOne Deliver Performance and Reduce Environmental Impact
At the K 2010 exhibition, PolyOne Corporation (NYSE: POL), a premier global provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, is displaying reSound™ biopolymer compounds for durable applications. These innovative materials, which incorporate a minimum of 30% bio-derived content by weight, enable manufacturers in the durable consumer products sector to reduce environmental impact of their products while delivering exceptional performance equal to or better than conventional engineering resins.
“Our customers are increasingly focused on reducing their carbon footprint to meet consumers’ growing desire for greener products,” said Jean-Marc Verhaeghe, global marketing director, PolyOne Global Engineered Materials. “Until now, they had few options because biopolymers did not provide the desired performance properties. Our reSound compounds solve this dilemma by providing both a high percentage of renewable content and excellent mechanical properties. With reSound biopolymer compounds, tomorrow’s cars, mobile phones and other durable applications can stand out from the competition with a combination of sustainability and performance.”
reSound compounds combine high performance engineering thermoplastic resins with bio-derived polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA) for a unique balance of temperature, impact and cost performance, making them ideal candidates for durable applications across a variety of industries.
“This is yet another example of how PolyOne is helping to make bio-based consumer goods a reality with an innovative and robust solution,” said Marcel Dartée, PolyOne’s global marketing director for biopolymers. “Our reSound compounds bring added options to a family of solutions that includes color and additive masterbatches for biopolymers, bio-based TPEs, and bioplasticizers.”
About PolyOne
PolyOne Corporation, with 2009 annual revenues of $2.1 billion, is a premier provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions. Headquartered outside of Cleveland, Ohio USA, PolyOne has operations around the world.
Source: www.polyone.com.
Boulder Canyon™ adopts NatureFlex™
Boulder Canyon™ Natural Foods, a leading North American snack food manufacturer, has introduced a renewable, fully compostable pack for its line of All Natural Kettle Cooked Potato Chips.
The innovative packaging is gaining attention because it looks, feels and sounds the same as traditional, non-compostable bags. The bag is the first of its kind on the market to be made from a structure that incorporates metallised NatureFlex™ NKM from Innovia Films.
Source: www.innoviafilms.com
KLÖCKNER PENTAPLAST INTRODUCES BIOFILM™ THERMOPLASTIC STARCH FILMS FOR PACKAGING
Klöckner Pentaplast has partnered with Plantic Technologies Limited to provide Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ rigid thermoplastic starch (TPS) films for food and retail packaging. These innovative TPS films are derived from annually
renewable high-amylose starch which provides brand owners with a packaging material of nongenetically modified origins to help them meet their sustainable packaging goals. With a high renewable-resource content of 85 to 90% by weight, Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films are compostable in professionally managed facilities and certified to ASTM D6400 and EN 13432
standards (Biodegradable Products Institute in the US, Din Certco in Europe). Additional certification by Vinçotte verifies that these films will biodegrade completely in home composting, soil burial, and water. Although available worldwide with Klöckner Pentaplast, kp is the exclusive supplier to the Americas and Europe.
Ideal for thermoformed trays, shelf-ready displays, and insert trays in secondary packaging,
Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films inherently provide excellent barrier for flavor and odor, as well as grease resistance. Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films are available in standard colors (natural, white, brown, gold, purple, and black) with a gloss/gloss surface.
Pentafood® Biofilm™ TPS films are compliant with all applicable FDA standards for direct food contact.
“Pentafood® Biofilm™ and Pentaform® Biofilm™ TPS films were developed to meet customers’ sustainable packaging goals for food and retail packaging applications,” notes Michael Ryan, Klöckner Pentaplast’s vice president of strategic marketing. “The expansion of our Biofilm™ packaging film portfolio to include these unique films, along with our existing Pentafood® and Pentaform® films,
continues to provide our customers with the broadest selection of films available in the global marketplace today.”
About the Klöckner Pentaplast Group
The Klöckner Pentaplast Group is the world’s leading producer of films for pharmaceutical,
medical device, food, electronics, and general-purpose thermoform packaging, as well as printing and
specialty applications. Founded in 1965 in Montabaur, Germany, Klöckner Pentaplast has grown from
its initial facility to 19 current production operations in 11 countries.
Source: www.kpfilms.com
PENTAFORM® SMARTCYCLE® RF-SEALABLE AND HEAT-SEALABLE FILMS AVAILABLE FROM KLÖCKNER PENTAPLAST
The Pentaform®SmartCycle® film product line has been extended to include two new Pentaform® SmartCycle® films. Pentaform®SmartCycle® TH-ES135R is designed for use in RF sealing. Pentaform®SmartCycle® TH-ES150K is heat sealable to water-based, adhesive-coated cardstock. Both rigid PET films are made from post-consumer recycled bottles.
Designed to contain a minimum of 35% or 50% post-consumer recycled content, these innovative Pentaform® SmartCycle® films are engineered to be drop-in alternatives for traditional polymers sealed by these methods while helping meet customers’ sustainable packaging goals. With over 20 years of polyester production experience, Klöckner Pentaplast is a leading global producer of rigid polyester films and is the exclusive global supplier of SmartCycle® packaging films.
Ideal for clamshells, blisters, trays, and other thermoformed applications, Pentaform®
SmartCycle® films offer exceptional processability on standard thermoforming and form/fill/seal equipment. These films are certified to meet domestic packaging regulations and exceed California and Oregon regulations for rigid plastic packaging containers.
SmartCycle® PET films provide a thermoformed plastic packaging option to consumer product companies and retailers while building long-term value by helping them move toward their sustainable packaging goals. Because the SmartCycle® logo can be included on the plastic containers using this film, consumers can make educated choices on their purchases.
The SmartCycle® process of making packaging from recycled plastic bottles saves energy, natural resources, and, ultimately, will spur collection of bottles. Consumers are now able to return their Pentaform® SmartCycle® packages to Klöckner Pentaplast for recycling; thereby forming a closed loop and adding continued life to SmartCycle® branded packages. This begins with the distinctive
SmartCycle® logo derived from the petaloid base found on most PET bottles. For the consumer, the unique identifying mark is informative, reinforcing the benefits of bottle and package recycling. A key goal of SmartCycle® is to help people feel good about their packaging choice by conveying the story of sustainable packaging through the entire packaging value chain – consumers, retailers, OEMs, converters, and resource recovery plants.
“Pentaform® SmartCycle® films were developed to be drop-in alternatives for traditional polymers sealed by RF methods or heat sealable to water-based, adhesive-coated cards while helping meet customers’ sustainable packaging goals,” notes Peter Gianniny, Klöckner Pentaplast’s thermoforming packaging films business manager for the Americas. “The expansion of our thermoform packaging film range to include these unique films continues to provide our customers with the broadest selection of high-performance films available in the global marketplace today.”
About the Klöckner Pentaplast Group
The Klöckner Pentaplast Group is the world’s leading producer of films for pharmaceutical, medical device, food, electronics, and general-purpose thermoform packaging, as well as printing and specialty applications. Founded in 1965 in Montabaur, Germany, Klöckner Pentaplast has grown from its initial facility to 19 current production operations in 11 countries.
Source: www.kpfilms.com
At K 2010 SABIC Innovative Plastics Reaffirms Environmental Commitment with Expanded Sustainability Portfolio and New Verification Program
At K 2010, in Hall 6, Stand D42, SABIC Innovative Plastics is reaffirming its commitment to the environment with two new announcements: the expansion of its already extensive Sustainability Solutions Portfolio comprised of more than 20 sustainability solution families and hundreds of product grades such as new Noryl*, Cycoloy* and Lexan* EXL resins containing post-consumer recycled (PCR) content; and the introduction of a rigorous new validation process for sustainable materials and applications. The new process includes a Sustainable Product Scorecard, developed in partnership with respected, third-party environmental sustainability consulting firm, GreenOrder. Both announcements illustrate SABIC Innovative Plastics’ commitment to addressing its customers’ diverse environmental needs. This includes the company’s ongoing investments in materials, technologies and processes that help customers worldwide lower their carbon and energy footprints, eliminate waste, and ensure strict compliance with global environmental regulations.
“As an innovator in the development of sustainable technologies, SABIC Innovative Plastics is committed to creating and providing a steady supply of environmentally responsible materials,” said Tom Stanley, vice president, Technology, SABIC Innovative Plastics. “We’ve strengthened our portfolio to help customers across all industries meet demands for ever-greener products that comply with worldwide environmental expectations, and we’ve implemented a standards-based process for verifying our sustainability claims. This is an ongoing initiative that will continuously deliver new materials, process and application technologies that provide outstanding performance, as well as reduced impact on the planet.”
Broad and Deep Offering for Sustainable Design and Production
SABIC Innovative Plastics’ new PCR resins are just the latest additions to its broad array of sustainability solutions. Materials in the portfolio also include longstanding environmental successes such as Noryl GTX* resin for tough automotive exteriors and Valox iQ* and Xenoy iQ* resins based on up-cycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET).
Further, the company provides many other specialty resins and services that are not explicitly part of the Sustainability Solutions Portfolio, but can help customers design and manufacture products with a reduced ecological impact. Examples include materials for energy-efficient lighting (light emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)), thin-wall designs to reduce resource consumption, computer-aided design (CAD) optimization for more-productive use of materials, coating reduction and paint elimination to avoid volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, and improved molding process efficiency to reduce energy usage.
Sustainability Solutions Portfolio Targets Top Environmental Issues
The SABIC Innovative Plastics Sustainability Solutions portfolio is comprised of materials that address today’s most important environmental initiatives:
- Post-consumer recycled content: SABIC Innovative Plastics has received high praise for its Valox iQ and Xenoy iQ resins, including the 2009 Responsible Care award from Cefic and the 2007 environmental award from the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE). These materials, containing up to 60 percent post-consumer content derived from discarded PET bottles, consume less energy and yield less carbon dioxide (CO2 ) than traditional polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) or polyamide (PA) 6 throughout the entire manufacturing process – from cradle (discarded PET bottles) to gate (resin pellets). The company recently launched Lexan EXL PCR resins for consumer electronics applications, which reduce energy and emissions by up to 60 percent compared to conventional Lexan EXL resins.
- Automotive weight-out: SABIC Innovative Plastics has led the industry for many years with lightweight materials that reduce fuel consumption and emissions while delivering high performance and improved design flexibility. Collectively, automotive body panels molded from Noryl GTX resin; Lexan polycarbonate (PC) glazing; Xenoy iQ resin in pedestrian protection systems; SABIC® Stamax® long glass-filled polypropylene (LGFPP) for front-end module assemblies; and Flexible Noryl resin for ultra-thin-wall wire coating may reduce the weight of a typical car by more than 24 kg. This average weight savings results in a carbon emissions reduction of approximately 20 to 45 percent during the entire life cycle of a car compared to incumbent technologies. For example, for a typical car, this weight reduction could lower CO2 emissions per kilometer traveled by approximately 2.4 g. Successful adaptation of these lightweight technologies to a European fleet of approximately 210 million vehicles could potentially avoid 9.7 million tons of CO2 emissions per year.
- Advanced flame retardance (FR): SABIC Innovative Plastics is continuing to expand its array of non-halogenated FR plastics to keep pace with evolving environmental regulations and voluntary eco labels that are important to customers. For example, the company’s new halogen-free FR Lexan PC resin series combines transparency and all the benefits of an FR PC with chemically halogen-free formulation.
- Energy efficiency: Energy efficiency is an important focus for SABIC Innovative Plastics. For example, its Specialty Film and Sheet business provides high-performance glazing and roofing materials for the building and construction industry that can reduce energy usage. Thermoclear* Solar Control infrared (IR) multiwall sheet products, which combine highly insulating multiwall construction with a proprietary IR coating, have been shown to reduce indoor cooling and heating energy requirements by 7 to 25 percent compared with double-pane glass windows and skylights, depending on multiwall thicknesses between 16 mm and 25 mm.
Sustainable Product Scorecard Validates Claims
Products and applications in SABIC Innovative Plastics’ expanded Sustainability Solutions Portfolio have been strictly validated in two potential ways: either they meet one or more widely recognized third-party sustainability standards or their environmental benefits relative to incumbent technologies have been verified using the company’s new Sustainable Product Scorecard. For a significant number of products in the portfolio, third-party standards exist defining sustainability features, such as halogen-free FR or PCR content. For a number of other solutions, such as automotive lightweight design or footprint reductions, there are no widely recognized industry or third-party standards defining sustainability. For these solutions, it is necessary to verify the environmental benefits over incumbent alternatives using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methods for estimating the environmental footprint of products and processes. SABIC Innovative Plastics incorporated these LCA methods into its new Sustainable Product Scorecard to ensure that the verification process is done in a rigorous and credible way.
The scorecard process has already verified the environmental benefits of seven sustainability solution families, with more in the pipeline. This portfolio validation process enables customers to confidently choose high-performance materials that advance their environmental and business goals. SABIC Innovative Plastics plans to further expand its list of verified materials and sustainability portfolio through the end of 2010 and into the future to further support customers’ environmental objectives.
The Sustainable Product Scorecard measures, validates and communicates environmental benefits compared with conventional or alternative materials. The scorecard has two components:
- Life Cycle Assessment: LCA and Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) methodologies, based on the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards, are used to build the first component of the scorecard. Carbon and energy footprints1 of products or applications are estimated through the product’s life cycle.
- Green Chemistry Screen (GCS): This tool assesses the chemical composition of the product, including known impurities, byproducts and catalysts, against well-established toxicological, regulatory and standard-specific criteria.
The results of the scorecard are used to develop environmental benefit claims that are subjected to a rigorous, independent review by GreenOrder. These validated claims, summarized in an Environmental Product Data Sheet (EPDS), allow customers to differentiate their products and showcase their sustainability initiatives.
“We commend SABIC Innovative Plastics for its proactive efforts to provide new alternatives to traditional materials across the spectrum of sustainability,” said Truman Semans, principal at GreenOrder, an LRN Company. “The key to this initiative is the verification of environmental benefits using established standards and rigorous validation and testing processes. Our work in independently evaluating SABIC Innovative Plastics’ materials helps ensure that they fulfill their eco claims and deliver proven, measurable value to customers.”
For additional information on SABIC Innovative Plastics’ Sustainability Solutions portfolio, please go to www.sabic-ip.com. For technical product inquiries, please contact us at www.sabic-ip.com/prtechinquiry.
SABIC is Exhibiting at K 2010 in Düsseldorf, Germany in Hall 6, Stand D42
For K 2010, SABIC’s focus is A Culture of Innovation, which means investing in Growth, Technology, Sustainability and Customer Focus. We help our customers to innovate, differentiate their applications and optimize costs by:
- Investing in global expansion;
- Providing the broadest product portfolio that delivers better performance and adds value;
- Developing environmentally responsible products and solutions that provide significant and measurable performance advantages; and
- Working closely with our customers to build long-term, lasting relationships.
About SABIC Innovative Plastics
SABIC Innovative Plastics is a leading, global supplier of engineering thermoplastics with a 75-year history of breakthrough solutions that solve its customers’ most pressing challenges. Today, SABIC Innovative Plastics is a multi-billion-dollar company with operations in more than 35 countries and approximately 9,000 employees worldwide. The company continues to lead the plastics industry with customer collaboration and continued investments in new polymer technologies, global application development, process technologies, and environmentally responsible solutions that serve diverse markets such as automotive, electronics, building & construction, transportation, and healthcare. The company’s extensive product portfolio includes thermoplastic resins, coatings, specialty compounds, film, and sheet. SABIC Innovative Plastics (www.sabic-ip.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), one of the world’s top six petrochemicals manufacturers.
Braskem launches project for green propylene industrial unit
Braskem, the largest thermoplastic resin producer in the Americas and a company committed to bringing to market products and solutions with high technical performance that are aligned with the principles of the low-carbon economy, announces the conclusion of the conceptual phase of the project to build a green propylene plant.
In 2011, work will be concluded on the basic engineering studies and, once final approval is obtained, the project's installation will begin, with operational startup expected in the second half of 2013. The plant should require investment of around US$100 million and have minimum green propylene production capacity of 30 kt/year.
To produce green polypropylene, Braskem will adopt technology that has already been proven on an industrial scale and use as an input sugarcane ethanol, which is recognized as the world's best renewable energy source. The green polypropylene will have the same technical, processability and performance properties as polypropylene made using traditional production routes.
The preliminary eco-efficiency study has shown very favorable results, given the benefits from the environmental advantages of green ethylene. The study was conducted in partnership with Fundação Espaço Eco and was based on conceptual engineering data. Each ton of green polypropylene produced captures and sequesters 2.3 t of CO2.
Braskem considers this plant part of its strategy to develop biopolymers and is committed to expanding its portfolio and production capacity, enabling the growth and adoption of green plastic by a growing number of clients and applications, thereby increasing the product's benefits for the environment.
Braskem has been working with green polypropylene for a long time. In 2008, during BioJapan, the company announced the production of the first green polypropylene sample made 100% from renewable resources, which was verified in accordance with ASTM D6866. Braskem also has research projects to develop a new production route for green polypropylene, including the partnerships announced with Novozymes in 2009, as well as with UNICAMP and LNBio
Polypropylene is the second most used plastic in the world and features unique properties among all polymers, such as excellent balance of physical properties, possibility of high transparency and high resistance to impacts at low temperatures, high performance in production processes, stability of properties over the long term, low density (which allows for lighter parts) and high versatility in terms of applications.
