LyondellBasell Industries has today officially launched Circulen, a group of materials that officials said will allow brand owners to improve the sustainability of consumer products.
In an April 12 news release, officials with the Houston-based firm said the Circulen launch "marks the next step in LyondellBasell delivering on its sustainability goal of producing and marketing 2 million metric tons of recycled and renewable-based polymers annually by 2030."
They added that target "is one of the most ambitious goals in the industry."
The Circulen line supports the reduction of plastic waste through use of recycled content, officials said, and provides a lower carbon footprint through use of renewable-based content as compared to feedstock from fossil-based sources.
The Circulen portfolio is available in Europe and will soon be introduced in North America and China. Circulen products already are being used in the Samsonite Magnum Eco suitcase line and in garden equipment such as watering cans.
The Circulen portfolio includes:
- CirculenRecover polymers, made from plastic waste through a mechanical recycling process.
- CirculenRevive polymers, made using an advanced molecular recycling process to convert plastic waste into feedstock to produce new polymers.
- CirculenRenew polymers, made from renewable feedstocks such as used cooking oil.
To help achieve the company's ambitions, officials said that LyondellBasell "is implementing a multi-pronged approach to advance the circular economy by bringing sustainable solutions to life."
"With the new Circulen product portfolio, we are taking concrete action to advance the circular economy today, innovate for the future and partner across the value chain," said Ken Lane, executive vice president of global olefins and polyolefins.
"Our ambition is bold, yet necessary, and we are committed to doing our part to help address the global challenges of plastic waste in the environment and climate change while meeting customer and brand owner needs," he added.
Other recent circular economy actions taken by LyondellBasell include:
- Expanding the Quality Circular Polymers mechanical recycling joint venture portfolio to include post-consumer and post-industrial recycled plastic.
- Extending future innovation in advanced molecular recycling with the firm's MoReTec technology and the start-up of a pilot facility.
- Using renewable-based feedstocks made from of waste and cooking oils to make plastic products that help reduce CO2 over the product life cycle.
- Securing International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) PLUS certification for the firm's European cracker and polymer sites.
LyondellBasell is a major supplier of polyethylene and polypropylene resins and plastic compounds. The firm posted sales of almost $28 billion in 2020.