Abstract
The world is facing many challenges. Some are geopolitical, some are economic, and some are environmental. While humanity has reached a moment of unparalleled technological advancement and social and economic mobility, we're still wrestling with the impacts of climate change, which pose an existential threat to our planet.
The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. Well, we've done that. The weight of scientific evidence that climate change exists is overwhelming. The first significant piece of the jigsaw came in the late 1960s, when scientists began to measure increases in the levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The safe level for humanity is generally considered to be around 350 ppm. In March 2017, this level reached 409 ppm—an all-time high. The burning of carbon-based fuels for energy, transportation, and in industrial production are overwhelming contributors to this problem.
Our planet is hotter and more unpredictable than it was 100 years ago. Our weather is more violent due to increased energy in the atmosphere. The levels of polar ice are at record-low levels, for the same reason. Cities such as Miami, Calcutta, and Shanghai are now considered at high risk from sea level rises. Valuable species are disappearing from our earth at an alarming rate.
However, there is hope. We are seeing more and more people, companies, and governments rise to the challenge. Over the last few years, as climate change has grown in the public's consciousness, we've seen a rise in businesses offering consumers ways to reduce their environmental impact. The power of consumers' wallets can drive change through electric vehicles, solar energy, greener products, and pressure on brands to be more responsible. While the concept of sustainability is still not yet fully understood by all, it has permeated through to almost all levels of corporate and social behavior.
This is where a company like Braskem (São Paulo, Brazil) can play a role. The idea of harnessing the power of chemistry to develop better and safer products is a driving factor in its existence. One example is the company's efforts to replace conventional, fossil-based feedstock with biomass; this is a key part of Braskem's innovation and sustainability strategy. Making the switch to renewable resources can significantly reduce the carbon footprint of everyday products. Since 2010, when the company began offering a sugarcane-based polyethylene (bio-PE)—tradenamed I'm green™—Braskem has been the world leader in renewable plastics, attracting brands such as Tetra Pak (Pully, Switzerland), IKEA (Leiden, Netherlands), LEGO (Billund, Denmark), Natura (Cajamar, Brazil), and Nomacorc (Zebulon, NC). But we have not rested on our laurels.
Last year Braskem announced the launch of a demonstration plant to develop a pioneering route to produce monoethylene glycol (MEG) from sugar, rather than oil. This is being done in partnership with Haldor Topsoe in Denmark, where the plant will be located. MEG is a key component of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) resin, the main man-made raw material used by the textile and packaging industries that is also widely used to make clear plastic bottles. The partnership is developing new technology that will allow Braskem to push renewable chemistry to a whole new level. After I'm green™ (bio-PE), this is another major step forward in Braskem's strategy of using renewable polymers as a carbon capture tool.
The company's vision of the bioeconomy is based around innovation. Braskem is looking to seize on opportunities where biobased is better, in both functionality and environmental performance. And we are very excited by the development of new ideas and technologies that stem from our Labs and Innovation and Technology Centers. Braskem has invested millions into these facilities, which are looking to turn the bioeconomy from concept to reality.
As part of the focus on renewable chemicals, Braskem signed a technological cooperation agreement with the U.S. renewable products company Amyris (Englewood, CA) and French tire maker Michelin (Clermont-Ferrand, France) to develop technology for the production of biobased isoprene, a chemical feedstock used by the tire industry, and other rubber applications. The technology is developed from plant sugars, such as those found in sugarcane and cellulosic feedstocks.
Of course, this has to be underpinned by commercial developments, and Braskem is proud of its growing client list and the number and quality of the applications using its material.
Braskem is also involved in a Made in Space project. The company is developing biobased 3D printing technology on the International Space Station that will allow astronauts to recycle plastic. Developing a secondary use of plastics is a huge challenge, but it's one we're committed to. In Brazil, a new recycling platform has allowed Braskem to build closed-loop systems with some of its clients. Plastics producers are now realizing that there is a need and opportunity to integrate recycling into our business case.
These developments wouldn't have been possible if Braskem had not embedded sustainability into its company purpose, which is to improve people's lives by creating and developing sustainable chemicals and plastics. The company is setting goals to continually improve the use of sustainable resources and production methods, but also to create better products. Linking this to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and making the fight against climate change, is a key pillar of how Braskem moves forward.
Braskem continues to show leadership in the field of sustainable plastics, by offering clients an unmatched portfolio of recyclable and renewable resins. The company is more determined than ever to invest in innovative chemicals and plastics, because Braskem's aim is to improve the quality of people's everyday lives.
Braskem also won't shy away from its commitment to circular plastics at a time when the material is increasingly being seen as a cause of problems rather than as a solution to them. The company wants people to understand the benefits that they can bring. Whether it is through light weighting packaging or vehicles, preventing waste by extending the shelf-life of packaged food, or through a wide range of functional benefits, plastics have had a positive impact on our world.