A partnership between IKEA and Neste will make bio-polypropylene commercial production possible
Type of post: NEWS IN BRIEF.
No one has ever before been
able to produce polypropylene (PP) from a fossil-free raw material other than
on a laboratory scale. A collaboration between IKEA
and Neste, which was initiated in 2016,
will make bio-PP commercial production possible (see press
release, 7/6/2018).
IKEA is working to change all
of the fossil-based polymers used in its products to plastic based on recycled
and/or renewable materials by 2030. One of the ongoing projects on this journey
is an alliance with Neste to turn biomass feedstocks (used cooking oil as well
as sustainable vegetable oils) into PP and polyethylene (PE).
Figure 1. IKEA will use bio-PP
and bio-PE in products that are part of its current portfolio (extracted from
the press release)
The pilot at commercial scale
of PP and PE, chosen to contain 20% renewable content, will start during fall
2018. The production of the biobased plastics will be based on Neste’s 100%
renewable hydrocarbons. IKEA will use the biopolymers in products that are part
of its current portfolio (such as plastic storage boxes), starting with a
limited number of units. As capacities improve, more products will follow.
Related posts:
- “Neste
starts up the world's first large-scale renewable propane production unit in
its Rotterdam biorefinery”, 22/3/2018.
- “Rotterdam
Biorefinery”, 19/8/2015.
