Braskem Petrochemicals makes millionaire investment in German technology for waste recycling

Committed to the carbon-neutral circular economy, petrochemical company Braskem invests BRL 67 million in a recycling line with German technology

The largest producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas and world leader in the production of biopolymers, the petrochemical company Braskem, started the month of December with excellent news. The company announced in a material fact yesterday (01/12) an important investment to expand its portfolio for recycling post-consumer resins (PCR). Petrobras president reaffirms that integrity is an absolutely non-negotiable value in the oil company

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The initiative is the result of a partnership with Valoren, a company that develops and operates technologies for transforming waste to produce high quality recycled resin.

In partnership with Valoren, Braskem will invest R$67 million in building a recycling line with the capacity to transform around 250 million packages into 14 tons of high-quality post-consumer resin per year. The project will be installed in Indaiatuba, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, and is expected to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 202.

According to Braskem's Circular Economy director in South America, Fabiana Quiroga, the technology will leverage recycling in Brazil and, consequently, the post-consumer polymer market.

Materials and recycling process

Most of the materials to be recycled will be of domestic origin, considering rigid polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) materials, such as food packaging, cleaning materials, personal care products and cosmetics. The material, after being processed, will give rise to a high quality PCR.

According to the statement, the unprecedented project, with state-of-the-art German technology machinery, seeks to meet the best sustainability practices, with recirculation water treatments, to optimize water and energy resources. In addition, it reinforces Braskem's commitment to adopting the best practices in controlling pellets – the format in which plastic resin is sold.

“We strongly believe in this partnership with Braskem as we contribute to the development of an innovative project, which brings to Brazil the best in world technology in mechanical recycling, fully aligned with Valoren’s mission to expand the circular economy through the valorization of waste, applying innovative technologies and business models. The project has not only a technological and economic nature, but also an environmental and social one by integrating a material supply chain into the new plant that will promote an increase in the recycling of plastic waste and the professionalization of recyclers in Brazil”, comments Heinz-Peter Elstrodt, Chairman of the Board of Valoren.

Contribution of plastic to neutralizing carbon emissions

Last month, Braskem announced the expansion of its efforts to become a carbon neutral company by 2050. To achieve this goal, the company's strategy considers carbon reduction, compensation and capture initiatives.

By 2030, the petrochemical company plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% and expand its I'm greenT portfolio, which considers products with a focus on the circular economy, to include, by 2025, 300 tons of thermoplastic resins and chemicals with recycled content; reaching 1 million tons of these products by 2030. In addition, the company will work so that in the next ten years there is the proper disposal of 1,5 million tons of plastic waste.

Braskem's initiatives for the coming decades are aligned with the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN), its 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and with the Paris Agreement to control the impacts of climate change. Discover the company's manifestosa