OCTAL, the world’s leading integrated producer of high-quality PET sheet and resin, presented the results of an independent study today. Thanks to the company’s production method, which is unique in the world, a total of 51 million tons of CO2 emissions were reduced during the production of plastic resin in 2010. This is the equivalent of the emissions of an airplane carrying 320 passengers and flying around the world approximately 39 times.
The study, which attracted international attention, was carried out by Intertek Expert Services and focused on the year 2010. The aim was to compare the production of plastic resin using traditional SSP (Solid State Post Condensation) technology and the MTR (Melt To Resin) technology used by OCTAL. Special attention was paid to the actual energy requirements of the technology. “It is imperative that our commitment to sustainability is monitored and endorsed by third parties. We want detailed information about the positive effects of our new technology. OCTAL is pleased with recent Intertek testing results proving that, based on an energy computation analysis of OCTAL's PET resin production, our company's continued sustainability efforts are highly effective,” says Vivek Harkauli, OCTAL’s Director of Marketing – PET Resin.
Impressive and convincing figures
The figures in the study are unambiguously positive. Compared to the traditional plastic resin production method, OCTAL’s MTR technology achieves a saving of 63.3% in grid electricity, or a reduction of 215 kilowatt hours per manufactured ton of resin. In terms of CO2 emissions, OCTAL reduced the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere by 190.26 (kgCO2/t). The total reduction for the year 2010 thus amount to 42.998 million kg of CO2. This is the equivalent of the emissions of an airplane carrying 320 passengers and flying around the world approximately 33 times. Equally impressive is the heat energy saving. Compared to the conventional production method, OCTAL achieves a 22.7% reduction in heat energy. By using less heat energy OCTAL is able to save 500 Mj (megajoules) per ton of resin produced. In terms of CO2 emissions, this represents a reduction of 35.79 kg of CO2 per ton of resin. For OCTAL's entire 2010 production of PET resin this is a total savings of 8.089 million kg of CO2. This savings can be equated to the production of CO2 caused by flying a plane filled with 320 people 6 times around the world.
Sustainability as the core message
“As a technology leader in the manufacture of PET sheet and resin, we are dedicated to environmentally aware, sustainable production. The new plant we are currently building in Oman is designed to use only the latest production technology. But there is more: in the next five years, OCTAL plans to invest an additional sum of approximately 600 million euros to ensure continued growth and maintain its role as a technology leader. The current figures in the study confirm that we are on the right course,” says Nicholas Barakat, OCTAL’s CEO. “As a direct result of our new technology, we save valuable resources and are able to reduce our CO2 emissions equivalent of the emissions of an airplane carrying 320 passengers and flying around the world approximately 39 times.”
