Metallurgy / Chemicals / Rubber & Plastics

Recently, Austrian Borealis said that the company plans to significantly increase the production capacity of recycled products, including polymers, from the current 100,000 tons/year to 1.8 million tons/year in 2030. Previously, Borealis has announced the spin-off of its greenhouse gas-intensive fertilizer division, and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 5.1 million tons per year in 2019 to below 2 million tons per year. Borealis also said the company aims to generate 100% of its electricity supply from green energy by 2030.

Borealis said it currently produces 100,000 tonnes of recycled products per year including recycled and renewable polymers, chemicals and renewable hydrocarbons. By 2025, the company aims to increase its share of circular products and solutions to six times its current share, or 600,000 tons per year. By 2030, the volume of the company's recycling products and solutions will reach 1.8 million tons/year, turning today's plastic waste into a valuable resource that can be used. Borealis said the move would significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from 5.1 million tonnes/year in 2019 to below 2 million tonnes/year in 2030, a decade the company will increase its use of renewable electricity, The project will be commissioned in the second half of the decade. At the same time, the company will also divest its nitrogen business, which includes fertilizers, industrial nitrogen and melamine. In terms of electricity sources, currently 25% of the electricity consumed by the company comes from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, and the proportion of green electricity will increase to 40% by 2025. Electricity will come 100% from renewable energy.

Recently, Borealis also announced the signing of several renewable feedstock agreements for polypropylene and polyethylene packaging and piping products. The company has formed a value chain partnership with Finnish ice cream maker Froneri and packaging company Paccor, and Froneri's lunch boxes and lids will be produced using Borealis' recycled polypropylene. Borealis is also working with Italian Nupi Industries and Finnish pipe company Uponor on renewable pipe materials.