Infinium (Sacramento, Calif.) and Borealis Group (Vienna, Austria) have entered into an agreement to enable the production of low-carbon-footprint plastics generated from waste carbon dioxide emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere. These plastics, known as polyolefins, are commonly used in manufacturing consumer goods including packaging, appliances, apparel and medical devices.
“Many people aren’t aware that countless plastics products we use every day come from fossil-based components,” said Infinium CEO Robert Schuetzle. “With Infinium eNaphtha, Borealis will create plastics with an ultra-low carbon footprint for customers and end consumers seeking more sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives.”
As the world’s first supplier of commercial volumes of eNaphtha, a sustainable drop-in alternative to traditional fossil-based naphtha, Infinium is helping to decarbonize plastics production and reduce harmful CO2 emissions globally. Infinium eNaphtha is manufactured at the company’s Project Pathfinder facility in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA, and commercial eNaphtha volumes are being shipped to Borealis’ Porvoo facility in Finland, which provides advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions to its manufacturing customers. The world’s first commercial eNaphtha shipment left the United States in May.
Plastics made from Infinium eNaphtha can be produced using the same facilities and manufacturing equipment and recycled in the same way as with a conventional naphtha-based product. eNaphtha produced at the Infinium Pathfinder facility has received ISCC PLUS certification from the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) body. This certification system ensures the traceability of the sustainably produced feedstock from its point of origin throughout the entire chain of custody.
“We are excited to be using Infinium eNaphtha to expand our portfolio of sustainable products,” said Mirjam Mayer, VP Circular Economy Solutions at Borealis. “Atmospheric carbon is a strategic element of the Borealis Circular Cascade approach to foster the transition toward greater circularity in plastics and carbon. It allows us to serve the needs of our customers while reducing their carbon footprints. Through this collaboration with Infinium we show that atmospheric carbon, obtained by effectively capturing and storing carbon emissions in products during their lifetime, can constitute a circular building block for the future. This is one of the ways Borealis is reinventing essentials for sustainable living.”
The unique partnership and supply chain development between Infinium and Borealis is an example of how innovators can collaborate toward novel solutions to meet growing consumer demand for circularity and defossilization.