According to Tony Rehn, Head of the Carbon2x program, the production of CO2-based plastic provides a new, sustainable raw material for the plastics industry.
“I am very proud that our team is the first in the world to successfully produce biodegradable plastic entirely from carbon dioxide emissions. This breakthrough is a significant step towards more sustainable plastic production. This kind of development work helps to reduce dependence on fossil-based raw materials and can create new circular economy-based business," Rehn explains.
Similar carbon capture development projects are underway in several industrial sectors in Finland and globally, but the majority of them focus on the production of synthetic fuels and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
“Captured carbon dioxide should be utilized as a new raw material instead of storing it underground or releasing it into the atmosphere when using fuel. Utilizing captured CO2 is a much more sustainable option in terms of tackling resource scarcity in the future. Whereas carbon capture and storage is a linear solution that does not address the growing material shortage, carbon capture and utilization promotes circular economy," says Rehn.
Fortum Recycling & Waste's Carbon2x program piloted carbon capture and utilization in 2022. The program aims to capture carbon dioxide emissions from the incineration of non-recyclable waste and use them to produce sustainable products, such as biodegradable plastic.
Plastic is a superior material due to its versatility
Every year, Europe generates nearly 100 million tons of non-recyclable waste that is incinerated and utilized in energy production. According to Rehn, the wider implementation of the Carbon2x program's innovation would mean that up to 90% of the CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere from waste incineration could be captured and bound into products.
Lightweight, durable, and easily modifiable, plastic today is an indispensable material in, for example, food packaging and consumer product manufacturing. According to Rehn, new sustainable solutions are needed for plastic production to complement recycled and bio-based plastics. Biodegradable, CO2-based plastic offers a significant alternative to the market because it has the same qualitative properties as traditional, fossil-based virgin plastics.
