LAUSANNE, Switzerland (Tetra Pak) – Tetra Pak has reached agreement with the largest Brazilian petrochemical company, Braskem SA, to purchase limited volumes of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) derived entirely from a renewable feedstock. The agreement represents the first move toward using green polyethylene in the carton packaging industry.
Braskem expects the world’s first commercial-scale green polyethylene plant, located in the south of Brazil, to come on stream late next year and is targeting first deliveries to Tetra Pak early in 2011. The new facility will use ethanol derived from sugar cane to produce ethylene, which will then be converted into polyethylene, the world’s most commonly used plastic. It is estimated that the process will result in an overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared with the traditional process for manufacturing polyethylene.
Under the terms of today’s agreement, Braskem will begin supplying Tetra Pak with 5 Ktons per year of green HDPE from 2011, for use in the production of plastic caps and closures. The volume represents just over 5% of the company's total HDPE demand, and is slightly less than 1% of its total plastics purchases.
Tetra Pak is the world's leading food processing and packaging solutions company. Working closely with our customers and suppliers, we provide safe, innovative and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people around the world. With over 20,000 employees and operations in more than 150 countries, we believe in responsible industry leadership and a sustainable approach to business. Our motto, “PROTECTS WHAT’S GOOD,"™ reflects our vision to make food safe and available, everywhere. More information about Tetra Pak is available at www.tetrapak.com
About Braskem
Braskem is the leader in thermoplastic resins in Latin America and the third largest producer in the Americas. With 18 plants located throughout Brazil, the company produces more than 11 million tons of thermoplastic resins and other petrochemical products. More information about Braskem is available at http://www.braskem.com