Responsible for significant consumption rates of drinking water in Brazil, according to the National Water Agency (ANA), construction already has the plastics industry as a key ally for an increasingly conscious use of water resources. Braskem, the largest petrochemical company in the Americas and the world leader in the production of biopolymers, supplies raw materials to companies that manufacture products that can help reduce losses throughout the construction process and to the supply sector.

One of the visible applications of plastic resins is in the polyethylene water tanks, which have been increasingly used for rainwater storage or for reuse. There are other products for this purpose, such as compact reservoirs, which can collect even water used in clothes washing for further use. They are low-cost alternatives that take up little space and do not require excavation, besides not requiring pumping and saving energy.

Plastic is also present in solutions that are less apparent but fundamental for all types of construction, such as basic sanitation projects. This is the case of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) piping, which offers high durability and resistance against impact and corrosion, in addition to being lighter compared to other alternatives. Another important application of polyethylene is present in septic tanks, suitable for residential use in isolated and coastal regions or near watercourses. The pits may be responsible for removing up to 85% of organic matter in the effluent, avoiding contamination of natural reservoirs, lakes, streams, and groundwater.

Sewer pipes also have greater durability and efficiency with plastic, especially with the high-density polyethylene, which is ideal for applications requiring resistance and ease of application. The materials can be developed in both high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and PVC.

The material can also be used in the capture of rainwater by PVC gutters, which provide distinctive design, higher quality and high resistance to ultraviolet rays. Other PVC solutions that can increase safe storage of water, avoiding losses and contamination, include vinyl liners and geomembranes. The products are intended to prevent losses due to leaks in masonry structures, in the case of coatings, with the reduction of waste in the works, and provide soil and landfill protection, among others, in the case of PVC geomembranes.

Braskem is a subsidiary of the Odebrecht Organization and is the largest manufacturer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas, with an annual output of 16 million metric tons, including production of other chemicals and basic petrochemical products. With R$54 billion in revenue, Braskem is also the world's largest manufacturer of biopolymers, with a capacity for 200,000 metric tons per year of polyethylene derived from sugarcane ethanol (Green Plastic).

About Braskem

Braskem is the largest manufacturer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas, with an annual output of over 20 million metric tons, including production of other basic chemicals and petrochemicals, with R$54 billion in annual revenue. With the aim of improving the lives of people, creating sustainable solutions in chemistry and plastics, Braskem is present in over 70 countries, with 8,000 members, and operates 40 industrial units located in Brazil, the United States, Germany, and Mexico - the latter in partnership with the Mexico-based company Idesa.

With the aim of improving the lives of people, creating sustainable solutions in chemistry and plastics, Braskem is present in over 70 countries, with roughly 8,000 members, and operates 40 industrial units located in Brazil, the United States, Germany, and Mexico - the latter in partnership with the Mexico-based company Idesa.

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For more information, please contact:

CDN Comunicação

Priscila Ventura - +55 11 3643-2744 - priscila.ventura@cdn.com.br

Ana Beatriz Paschoal - +55 11 3643-2737 - anabeatriz.paschoal@cdn.com.br

Priscila Nishimori - +55 11 3643-2802 - priscila.nishimori@cdn.com.br