Mars and Huhtamaki join SABIC nitiative for pet food packaging based on certified circular polypropylene

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SABIC announced that biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) film based on the company’s certified circular PP from feedstock recycling of used plastics will be introduced in primary pet food brand packaging by Mars, said the company.

The BOPP film structures are manufactured by Huhtamaki, a key supplier of sustainable packaging solutions to customers around the world. The joint initiative will help the partners implement their ambitious targets of reducing the volume of fossil-sourced plastics and accelerate the transition to a more circular plastics economy.

Following a successful pilot phase in 2020, Mars will incorporate certified circular PP polymer from SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio in the primary packaging of some of its popular pet food brands. The certified circular PP food-grade material is produced through the feedstock recycling of low quality, used mixed plastic that could otherwise be destined for incineration or landfill. It takes difficult to recycle used plastic back to the molecular level through a process called pyrolysis. This technology breaks down used plastic by heating it at a very high temperature in an oxygen-free environment, producing pyrolysis oil. SABIC uses pyrolysis oil coming from UK-based Plastic Energy’s proprietary advanced recycling technology that enters the production chain just like fossil-based feedstock to deliver new materials that can address strict quality requirements, such as certain hygiene standards for food packaging. The resulting PP polymer is verified and authenticated under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) scheme, which uses a mass balance approach. SABIC’s certified circular products from our TRUCIRCLE portfolio offer a carbon footprint reduction of 2kgs of CO2 for every kilogram of polymer produced based on the diversion of post-consumer used plastic from incineration.

Likewise, while Mars is piloting the use of SABIC recycled content in Europe in 2020, the company plans to increase volumes used in 2021 with ambitions to other brands. Mars sees this as a major step in the company’s sustainability strategy, which is targeting the use of 30 percent recycled content across their packaging portfolio and a 25 percent reduction of virgin plastic by 2025.

With its TRUCIRCLE portfolio, SABIC is capturing great value from sources like animal-free bio-based feedstock and post-consumer recycle, which have traditionally been ignored or discarded. The ISCC PLUS accredited materials offer drop-in solutions for replacing fossil-based plastics in the packaging industry without compromising product purity and food safety. Moreover, BOPP film using certified circular PP polymer from SABIC offers an excellent balance of stiffness and toughness as well as barrier and hot-fill properties. It can be used for a wide range of flexible applications, from labels and tape to packaging pouches and bags in areas such as confectionery, snacks, baked goods, dried fruits, pasta, fresh food, and pet care products.

SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE offering spans from design for recyclability services and mechanically recycled materials to certified circular products from feedstock recycling of used plastics as well as certified renewable polymers from bio-based feedstock. Third-party ISCC PLUS certification ensures that the mass balance accounting of the company’s circular polymer products follows predefined and transparent rules. In addition, it provides traceability along the entire supply chain from the feedstock to the final product.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 880,130 tonnes in the nine months of 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports, exluding producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Linde has entered into a long-term agreement with Samsung Electronics to supply ultra-high purity industrial gases for the South Korean tech giant’s latest semiconductor facilities in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, said the company.

Currently the main supplier of industrial gases to Samsung’s existing facilities in Pyeongtaek, Linde said this second agreement will see the company build, own and operate air separation plants in Samsung’s latest world-class manufacturing complex.

Once the project is commissioned, the Pyeongtaek complex will be Linde’s single largest gases supply site in the world for an electronics customer.

Samsung’s new facility will deploy state-of-the-art technologies to accelerate the company’s next-generation chip design and production, in order to meet the rising demand for semiconductors around the world.

"We are proud to have been selected yet again to supply Samsung’s world-class semiconductor facilities, shortly after the safe and on-time delivery of our previous project,” said B.S. Sung, Head of South Korea, Linde.

“Our successful partnership spans more than 42 years and we look forward to continue providing Samsung with a safe, reliable and cost-effective supply of industrial gases and innovative technologies well into the future."

As MRC informed earlier, Linde GmbH and Shell have announced an exclusive collaboration agreement on ethane-oxidative dehydrogenation (E-ODH) technology for ethylene production. The catalytic process is an alternative route to ethane steam cracking, offering the potential of economic advantages, acetic acid co-production and significantly lower overall carbon footprint through electrification of power input.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing PE and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 880,130 tonnes in the nine months of 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports, exluding producers' inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Polynt-Reichhold, an Intalian petrochemical producer, says it has increased prices in Europe by EUR80/metric ton (USD93/metric ton) for all its composite products range due to rising raw material and logistical costs, effective as of 1 November or as agreements allow, according to Chemweek.

The price hike covers the company’s complete line of unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl esters, and gelcoats in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, it says.

The higher raw material costs are due to limited availability, it adds. Polynt-Reichhold’s composites business develops and produces thermoset products and derivatives.

As MRC reported previously, in early March, 2020, Polynt announced that all its sites and activities in Italy were running smoothly and according to plan, despite the news about the Italian situation related to the spreading of the coronavirus in the country.

Polynt runs two maleic anhydride (MA) plants in northern Italy, including Bergamo’s 36,000 tonne unit in Lombardy and Ravenna’s 60,000 tonne plant on the east coast. The bigger production line at Ravenna had been operating at a reduced rate since March 2019 due to technical issues, the firm previously said. A new reactor ordered is expected to be operational in 2021. Polynt also produces phthalic anhydride at Bergamo and its San Giovanni Valdarno site, as well as plasticizers at San Giovanni Valdarno.

Maleic anhydride is a feedstock for the production of tetrahydrofuran, tetrahydrophthalic anhydride, films and synthetic fibers, pharmaceuticals, detergents, plasticizers, maleic, succinic, fumaric and malic acids and a number of chemicals for agriculture.

Plasticizers are substances introduced into a polymeric material to give it elasticity and plasticity during processing and operation. In particular, plasticizers are used to produce polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The share of plasticizers used for the production of PVC products is about 80%.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall PVC production totalled 718,500 tonnes in January-September 2020, down by 0.3% year on year. At the same time, only two producers managed to increase their PVC output.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Duqm Refinery and Petrochemical Industries Company (DRPIC) has announced the suspension of the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) work for its proposed Duqm Petrochemical Project (DPP), reported Oman News Agency (ONA).

The company seeks to assess the impact of COVID-19 on its future works.

The statement issued by the company said that DRPIC Board of Directors concluded that the suspension of FEED work of the project is in the interest of the company during a time of unprecedented global economic uncertainty due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, depressed demand, and highly volatile commodity prices.

The shareholders intend to reassess the project, taking into account the current challenging global market environment and the importance of seeking opportunities to enhance the value of the project.

The DPP constitutes the second phase of the integrated refineries and petrochemicals project, which the company plans to implement in the Special Economic Zone of Duqm, as part of the existing strategic partnership between OQ and Kuwait Petroleum International.

The statement emphasized that the construction work on Duqm Refinery continues according to the planned schedule, and the current overall progress stands at 72 per cent.

As MRC informed before, in late September 2020, Lummus Technology, LLC (Houston) announced that it had been awarded a contract for technology licensing, process design package, training and advisory services, and proprietary catalyst and equipment supply by DRPIC, a joint venture between OQ S.A.O.C (OQ) and Kuwait Petroleum Europe B.V. The contract is for the planned new petrochemical complex in Oman with multiple units, including the largest natural gas to liquids unit licensed by Lummus to Oman Oil Facilities Development Company LLC a wholly owned subsidiary of OQ with a capacity of 48 MMSCMD, one of the world’s largest ethylene units with 1,600,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) ethylene capacity, a butadiene extraction unit with 161,000 m.t./yr butadiene capacity, and a CDMtbe unit (145,000 m.t./yr of MTBE) and 1-Butene separation (51,000 m.t./yr of 1-butene capacity) licensed to DRPIC.

The units are part of the Duqm Petrochemicals Project, which is the second stage of DRPIC’s integrated refinery and petrochemical complex, and will be located at Duqm on the Arabian Sea coast of Oman, approximately 600 km south of Muscat. Other technology licensors on the Duqm Refinery project include OQ Chemicals and LyondellBasell.

Ethylene and propylene are feedstocks for producing PE and polypropylene (PP).

According to MRC"s ScanPlast report, Russia"s estimated PE consumption totalled 1,594,510 tonnes in the first nine months of 2020, up by 1% year on year. Only high denstiy polyethylene (HDPE) shipments increased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market reached 880,130 tonnes in the nine months of 2020 (calculated using the formula: production minus exports plus imports, exluding producers" inventories as of 1 January, 2020). Supply increased exclusively of PP random copolymer.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- With an end goal of keeping polystyrene products out of landfills through an innovative circular recycling process, AmSty is announcing its commitment that all products designed for foodservice and food packaging applications will contain 25 percent recycled content by 2030, said Wfmj.

The leading integrated producer of polystyrene and styrene monomer continues to reach milestones toward this goal with its circular recycling process operating commercially at Regenyx LLC, its joint venture with Agilyx Corporation.

Regenyx is achieving this circular recycling breakthrough using technology that breaks down polystyrene products to their original molecular form. The resulting styrene monomer is then used to create the exact same products again, with original quality and function. Since start-up, Regenyx has converted more than one million pounds of used polystyrene to all-new materials. That’s equivalent to keeping 37.5 million foam cups or 32.5 million takeout containers out of the landfill.

Soon, circular recycling will become a reality on a much larger scale. AmSty has partnered with Ineos Styrolution to construct a 100 ton per day facility in Channahon, Illinois. Engineering design for the facility in the greater Chicago area is under way.

“It is time for circular technology to scale up and truly make a difference in plastics becoming sustainable,” said Tim Barnette, Vice President – Polymers and Sustainability at AmSty. “Polystyrene is the only plastic resin material that can be converted back to a liquid monomer, making it simple to be re-formed into new, original-quality products. As disposable items are needed, they should be made from the most sustainable material available. Now, perhaps more than ever, disposable items like food packaging, take-out containers and utensils are necessary as consumers focus on personal hygiene, health, and safety. Our customers require packaging that is both safe and sustainable, and we are committed to helping achieve their goals by restoring polystyrene through circular recycling."

AmSty’s vision of keeping all polystyrene out of landfills will be a heavy lift, admits Barnette. It will require collaboration with cities and states to create?infrastructure that makes it easy for consumers to participate. Collection infrastructure must be overhauled so that mixed plastic waste can be sorted, processed and made ready for circular recycling.

“AmSty is fully committed to circular recycling of polystyrene,” said Dr. Randy Pogue, President and Chief Executive Officer at AmSty. “Our Regenyx facility has proven that sustainable long-term solutions for our products are possible. That fuels our excitement for the Channahon facility and the meaningful advancement it will bring for polystyrene as a circular recycled product. While AmSty is building important momentum with its polystyrene goals, the hope is that one day all plastics will be recycled using circular solutions."

According to ICIS-MRC Price report, October prices of Russian PS continued their upward trend. A shortage of material remained in the domestic market. Traders said Nizhnekamskneftekhim reduced its offer prices for this month's PS purchases to 40%. October prices of Nizhnekamskneftekhim's GPPS grew for the agreed with buyers quantities to Rb89,000-95,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT, whereas HIPS - to Rb93,000-99,000/tonne CPT Moscow, including VAT.

AmSty is a JV between Trinseo and Chevron Phillips Chemical (CPChem).
MRC