Borealis, Borouge and Itochu have announced that they have establish a strategic collaboration aimed at introducing renewable polypropylene in the form of consumer and other products to the Japanese market.
Japan previously unveiled plans to introduce approximately two million tons of renewable plastic products by 2030. Around the world, the effects of climate change are increasingly being felt, and Japan is no exception. This has led to a quest for more sustainable materials, without compromising on quality. The new alliance, composed of two resin producers and a major trading company, propose to provide a solution.
In March of this year, Borealis commenced the commercial production of renewably-sourced PP. PP, with its high strength and high heat resistance, is extensively used in a wide range of products. However, the production of renewably-sourced PP at commercial scale took a long time to come, due to the many technical difficulties in the production.
The biobased PP produced by Borealis is made from the wastes and residues from vegetable oil production and used cooking oils from the food industry. Full traceability from the point of origin to the final product is ensured through the mass balance model and ISCC Plus certification by a third-party independent body. Borealis is now working to expand sales in Europe and around the world.
Borouge is working to bring about a plastics circular economy on several fronts, including developing new disruptive packaging designs for re-use and recyclability, and introducing mono-material solutions that enable recyclability. The company is actively working across the entire value chain to drive innovations in quality, supply and usage of recyclate materials.
Itochu is one of Japan’s largest trading companies, active in a wide range of businesses. It aims to move forward with the expansion of the global renewable plastics business, particularly in Japan and in Asia. Itochu is planning the commercial launch of Japan’s first food containers and packaging materials made of renewably-sourced PP by the end of 2020 as well as a host of other goods, including cosmetic containers, office supplies, home electric appliances, automotive parts and other products. It will actively use its Group networks in Japan and overseas to create a new business model for renewable plastics and to accelerate the shift towards sustainable global development.