Braskem Announces First Bio-Polypropylene

Braskem, which now describes itself as the largest thermoplastic resin producer in the Americas, announced plans at K 2010 to build the world’s first propylene plant based on renewable resources.

In 2011, work will be concluded on the basic engineering studies for a propylene plant using sugar cane as a feedstock resource. The plan is to start up a plant in the second half of 2013.  Investment cost is estimated at around $100 million. The plant will have a minimum green propylene production capacity of 30,000 metric tons. Existing technology will be used to polymerize the propylene

The green polypropylene will have the same technical, processability and performance properties as polypropylene made using petroleum.

Lifecycle analysis was conducted  by Fundação Espaço Eco based on conceptual engineering data. Each ton of green polypropylene produced captures and sequesters 2.3 tons of carbon dioxide.

It is apparent at the giant K Fair being held now in Düsseldorf Germany that demand for green plastics is being driven by concerns that European countries, particularly France, may impose penalties on car makers and other OEMs for certain levels of carbon dioxide consumption as well as wasteful use of water.