In 2010, Braskem introduced green polyethylene on the market, and has been expanding its product range ever since. Producing high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) on an industrial scale, the portfolio will shortly be supplemented by a green low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Green polypropylene (PP) is on the company’s agenda for the near future. All of these products are made from a renewable resource, sugarcane ethanol. Marco Jansen, Renewable Chemicals Commercial Director Europe & North America, explained the specifics of their product range to Plastics.
Braskem booth at the K show (photos: Braskem)
Marco Jansen, Renewable Chemicals Commercial Director Europe & North America, Braskem
Plastics: Looking at your booth here at K, biopolymers and a green approach are obviously very important to you. Can you please tell us a bit more about your biopolymer range and the main markets?
Jansen: We are a major player in the field of biopolymers with an emphasis on green polyethylene (PE). It can be used for a huge variety of products such as packaging, the main market, but also sectors such as wire & cables, building & construction, artificial turf etc. Challenging new applications are coming up constantly. Consider, for example, the big drive to ban or tax conventional plastic bags and to encourage the use of more sustainable bags. This is a huge market for biopolymers. In terms of regional markets, Europe is the main market for biobased products, followed closely by Japan.
Our main focus within our biopolymer range is renewability and recyclability. We believe that there is more value in re-using products made from our polymers rather than biodegrading them. Which is why our products are not biodegradable but they are, of course, recyclable within existing polyethylene waste streams.
Plastics: How big is the amount of biobased content in your green PE, and does it offer the same material and processing characteristics as conventional PE?
Jansen: Most products have 85-100% biobased content. The switch from conventional PE to our green PE is easy as it retains the performance characteristics of a traditional PE, which means it can be used immediately in a variety of applications. The customers can use the same processing machinery they are using for conventional PE, so there is no investment necessary.
Plastics: Cost-wise, how does green PE compare?
Jansen: If you look at the cost of the polymer in isolation, green PE is more expensive than traditional PE but competitive with other biopolymers. However, if you consider the overall cost of implementing a new sustainable solution, considering the time to market, it can be very cost effective due to the product drop in characteristics. Moreover, it can be combined with recycled PE as an economical solution, which is a practice very popular in the US.
Plastics: What feedstock is the basis for your green PE?
Jansen: Green PE is made from sugarcane ethanol combining high productivity with the best use of resources. Due to the natural Brazilian conditions, there is almost no need for irrigation and all waste materials are re-used back into the process reducing the overall environmental impact. Filter cake and wastewater are applied back as natural fertilisers reducing the need for chemical fertilisers. Bagasse is used to generate bioelectricity, which represents a substantial reduction on the use of fossil energy within the process and it is considered an important element of the Brazilian Energy Matrix.
Production of green PE
Plastics: Opponents would say that agricultural land should be used for food, not bioplastics. Where does your company stand on this issue?
Jansen: Brazil is the world’s largest grower of sugarcane, and cultivation is strictly controlled. Brazil has huge resources of agricultural land, but only a relatively small amount is actually used to grow food. So there is plenty of space left for sugarcane without having to compete with the food market. Customers often express concern about the rain forests being cleared to make way for agricultural land. We respond to their concerns by demonstrating that the sugarcane we use comes from the area around Sao Paulo state, far away from the rain forest, in an area authorised by the government.
Braskem’s portfolio includes green PE for various applications or polyethylene resins for carbonated beverage caps, amongst others.
Plastics: You have been in the green PE market since 2010. Looking ahead, what is in the pipeline?
Jansen: In Mexico, we are investing in a plant with a capacity of 1.05 million tons per year of PE annually, as well as an equivalent volume of ethylene. This will be the first new petrochemical project to benefit from the increased competitiveness provided by shale gas in the United States. Requiring investment of US $3.2 billion, the initiative is also part of the company’s strategy to diversify its feedstock sources. For our LDPE line, we are expecting an annual production of approximately 30kt, with the product expected to be available on the market in January 2014 at the latest. The engineering studies for the Green PP plant have been concluded, but the investment has not been submitted to the company board for approval yet. It will cost approximately US $100 million for a production of 30,000 million tons per year or more.
Plastics: Mr Jansen, thank you very much.
