Braskem announced the first certified linear polyethylene in the world made from 100% renewable raw materials, confirming its technological leadership in the production of green polymers and its commitment to sustainable development. This achievement was obtained through the development of technology using biobutene, which will enable Braskem to expand its line of green polyethylene.

This announcement represents a new landmark in Braskem’s biopolymer development program, initiated in June 2007, with the launch of the first green resin, a high density polyethylene geared towards markets that demand products with superior performance and quality, underscoring the automobile, food packaging, cosmetic and personal hygiene industries.

Development of the linear polyethylene is in line with the company’s strategy to improve competitiveness and create value through technology and innovation. "This achievement once again demonstrates the capacity of our teams to be at the forefront of rupture technology research," says José Carlos Grubisich, president of Braskem. "Furthermore, it reinforces our commitment to promote sustainable development, in tune with society's aspirations on behalf of initiatives that firmly contribute towards carbon dioxide gas emission reductions in the atmosphere."

The linear polyethylene was certified by one of the most important international laboratories, Beta Analytic, attesting that the product is made from 100% renewable raw material, and its patent has already been deposited by the company. The new biopolymer was developed at the Braskem Technology and Innovation Center, the most modern and best equipped in the sector in Latin America, with technological assets worth R$ 330 million, including 8 pilot plants.

Antonio Morschbacker, the technician responsible for biopolymers at the company, explains that this development represents an important technological leap for Braskem, since the production of green linear polyethylene demands the use of a second monomer (molecules used as raw material to make the polymer) from a 100% renewable source. In other words, besides sugarcane ethylene, a technology already dominated by Braskem, the researchers needed to elaborate a new technological route that would allow them to obtain high-yield butene from a renewable raw material.
 
The main market for this linear polyethylene is the flexible packaging segment (films), which mostly serves the food industry. Still being produced at a laboratory scale, production of the green linear polyethylene will permit the product to be tested by selected clients interested in its performance and environmental advantages. At present, Braskem is concluding a project to set up an industrial unit to produce green ethylene that will supply the already existing polyethylene units in their installations, with the capacity to product 200 thousand tons per year and projected to start operations in 2010.

"This development is yet another example of Braskem’s pioneerism, a company that has already won one of the most important international recognitions in the sector related to technology, the Bioplastics Awards 2007, in the category of Best Innovation in Bioplastics, granted by the European Bioplastics News," underscores Morschbacker.

Another important step by Braskem, within its valorization strategy of renewable raw materials, was its announcement at the end of last month of an important technological cooperation agreement with the State of São Paulo Research Foundation - Fapesp. The objective of the partnership, which will have R$ 50 million in investments over the next five years, is to stimulate scientists linked to the best universities and research centers to elaborate studies on polymers from renewable raw materials.

The company also recently announced it will invest R$ 100 million in Camaçari, Bahia, to convert its current production of MTBE into ETBE, as already occurred at Copesul, thus offering the market an additive for gasoline made from ethanol with important environmental advantages. When the investment is finished, in 2009, Braskem will have the capacity to produce 300 thousand tons of ETBE per year, which besides using a renewable natural resource, also reduces CO2 emissions by 76% compared to MTBE, taking into account the period from the sugarcane crop to production of the additive.