Owner of a pioneering technology for large-scale biopolymer production, Braskem's renewable ethylene plant celebrates its 16th anniversary this September with results that reinforce its position as a global benchmark in sustainability. Since operations began in 2010, the facility located at the Triunfo Petrochemical Complex in southern Brazil has enabled the removal of more than 4.6 million tons of CO² from the atmosphere through the use of sugarcane-based ethanol as its main feedstock. This is equivalent to the emissions a conventional car would generate by driving around the Earth approximately one million times.

"This is a project that makes us extremely proud, as we are pioneers and leaders in biopolymer production worldwide, with the scale and strategic vision needed to serve demanding markets that increasingly prioritize more sustainable products. Milestones such as this also remind us of the important role the petrochemical industry plays in developing new solutions that can support the global transition toward a low-carbon and circular industry," said Nelzo Silva, Braskem's Industrial Director in Rio Grande do Sul.

Renewable ethylene plant

Braskem's renewable ethylene plant was inaugurated in record time, following 16 months of construction and three years of planning and testing that made the project possible. Since then, the facility has undergone successive evaluation, improvement, and operational optimization processes, enabling a continuous increase in production capacity. Today, the plant has an annual production capacity of 275,000 tons, 37% higher than originally projected when the project was launched in 2010.

The facility is a key component of Braskem's climate strategy, which is built on three pillars: emissions reduction through energy efficiency initiatives and increased use of renewable energy sources; carbon removal through the expansion of chemicals and polymers made from renewable feedstocks that absorb CO² from the atmosphere; and carbon capture through investments in technologies that make it possible to transform carbon into feedstock for new chemical products.

A pioneering and sustainable technology

The technology that enables the production of renewable-source biopolymers was developed at Braskem's own Technology and Innovation Center (CTI) in Triunfo, the company's largest research and development hub worldwide, in close collaboration with Braskem's global innovation ecosystem.

The production process uses ethanol derived from sugarcane, a crop that naturally absorbs CO² from the atmosphere during its growth cycle. After dehydration and purification, the ethanol is converted into ethylene, delivering the same quality and versatility as fossil-based products while providing the additional benefit of removing approximately two tons of carbon dioxide (CO²) for every ton produced, measured throughout its production chain up to Braskem's factory gate.

This feedstock is then used to manufacture three renewable-source products: polyethylene, used in a wide range of applications such as packaging; EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate), widely used in footwear soles; and polyethylene wax, used in the production of adhesives, cosmetics, and other products. Together, these materials form the basis of Braskem's I'm greenT bio-based portfolio, which currently includes more than 40 grades and is present in more than 250 brands across over 40 countries, including some of the world's most demanding markets, particularly in Asia and Europe.