Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (Sabic) and its customers Unilever, Vinventions and Walki Group are launching “certified circular polymers” which will be manufactured by Sabic and used by its customers for packaging solutions.
In a joint announcement at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on 24 Jan, the companies said that the new packaging will be introduced into the market later this year.
To produce the polymers, Sabic will be using Tacoil feedstock – an oil produced through the recycling of low quality, mixed plastic waste otherwise destined for incineration or landfill.
Tacoil production technology will be supplied by the UK-based Plastic Energy Ltd, to Sabic's production site at Geleen in The Netherlands.
The London company has developed a patented, low carbon footprint technology called thermal anaerobic conversion (TAC), which converts plastic waste into Tacoil for making new virgin food-safe plastics.
Sabic's finished certified circular polymers will then be supplied to the three key customers to use in their development of packaging for food, beverage, personal and home care products.
Terming it “a disruptive innovation”, Sabic said the certified circular polymers will create a new value chain, where upstream and downstream segments upcycle mixed plastic waste to original polymer for packaging.
Sabic supplies packaging materials for Unilever's food, personal and home care products; synthetic wine closures for consistent preservation at Vinventions; and protective packaging materials for the Finnish consumer group Walki.