Neste and Braskem, the leading producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas, have reached a significant agreement to supply renewable and recycled feedstocks for the production of polymers and chemicals. Braskem is expected to launch products derived from these feedstocks in the market by the fourth quarter of 2024, primarily in South America, as part of its Wenew product portfolio.

Source: Neste

Braskem will utilize polymer resins and chemicals created from Neste’s sustainable feedstock, Neste RE™. This includes recycled feedstock derived from plastic waste through chemical recycling, as well as renewable feedstock obtained from processing renewable raw materials like used cooking oil (UCO).

This is a very important moment for the industry. We're introducing a new solution that will adhere to the industry’s high quality standards while ensuring sustainability right from the start of the value chain. This partnership with Neste is a significant milestone in our journey towards a circular economy

To seamlessly integrate the new feedstocks into Braskem's existing operations, an ISCC PLUS (International Sustainability and Carbon Certification) certified mass balance approach will be employed. This ensures customers have confidence in the continuous chain of custody and the sustainable sourcing of the materials.

We are excited to welcome Braskem as our partner in advancing the transformation of the plastics and chemicals industry towards more sustainable solutions. We are looking forward to seeing our Neste RE solution in action in South America, reducing the dependence on virgin fossil feedstock in the production of polymers and chemicals.

An Innovative Solution with Significant Climate Benefits

By merging chemically recycled and renewable options, Braskem is leveraging two of the most promising strategies to minimize the reliance on virgin feedstock and enhance sustainability within the chemicals and plastics value chains.

Chemical recycling allows for the processing of plastic waste that is typically challenging to recycle, such as multi-material or colored plastics. Neste’s chemically recycled feedstock plays a crucial role in boosting recycling efforts and reducing the amount of plastic waste that enters the environment.

Conversely, Neste's renewable feedstock contributes to lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions when it replaces fossil feedstock in plastic and chemical manufacturing. This feedstock is produced from renewable raw materials, including waste and residual oils and fats, such as used cooking oil or byproducts from vegetable oil processing.

Both types of feedstocks facilitate the production of safe and suitable products for sensitive applications, like food-contact packaging, marking a significant advancement for the industry. Notably, the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (ANVISA) has recognized that chemical recycling processes can produce high-purity monomers indistinguishable from their original fossil-based counterparts, which comply with regulations for food-contact packaging without needing special authorization.