LyondellBasell, Neste partner for bio-based plastic made from renewable materials
Canadian Plastics
MaterialsThe partnership creates the first parallel production of bio-based polypropylene and bio-based low-density polyethylene at a commercial scale.
Chemical company LyondellBasell has teamed up with Neste, said to be the world’s largest producer of renewable diesel from waste and residues, to create the first parallel production of bio-based polypropylene and bio-based low-density polyethylene at a commercial scale.
The joint project used Neste’s renewable hydrocarbons derived from sustainable bio-based raw materials, such as waste and residue oils. “The project successfully produced several thousand tonnes of bio-based plastics which are approved for the production of food packaging and being marketed under Circulen and Circulen Plus, the new family of LyondellBasell circular economy product brands,” LyondellBasell said in a statement.
LyondellBasell production team in Wesseling, Germany shows off first batch of bio-polymer made from renewable materials. Photo Credit: LyondellBasell
LyondellBasell’s cracker flexibility allowed it to introduce a new renewable feedstock at its Wesseling, Germany site, which was converted directly into bio-based polyethylene and bio-based polypropylene. An independent third party tested the polymer products using carbon tracers and confirmed they contained over 30 per cent renewable content.
LyondellBasell sold some of the renewable products produced in the trial to multiple customers, one of which is Cofresco, a company of the Melitta Group and with brands like Toppits and Albal. Cofresco plans to use the Circulen Plus bio-based polyethylene to create sustainable food packaging materials.
“This pioneering collaboration with LyondellBasell marks a major milestone in the commercialization of Neste’s renewable polymers and chemicals business focusing on developing renewable and circular solutions for forward-looking sustainable brands,” Neste’s president and CEO Peter Vanacker said in the statement.
Headquartered in London and Houston, LyondellBasell sells products into more than 100 countries and is said to be the world’s largest producer of polypropylene compounds and the largest licensor of polyolefin technologies.
