Novamont starts construction of a demo plant for the production of FDCA
Novamont has announced a 10 million-euro investment programme, as part of the expansion and diversification of its production plant in Terni (Italy), for the construction of a demonstration plant dedicated to a new monomer of vegetable origin derived from sugars (2.5 furandicarboxylic or FDCA). FDCA is a platform for multiple applications, and Novamont will use it as a raw material for the synthesis of polyesters and biodegradable and compostable biomaterials. This will enable the production of fifth-generation MATER-BI as well as a series of products with oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier properties for the food packaging sector. With this new proprietary technology, Novamont is continuing its process of innovation in the bioeconomy sector. The range of biodegradable and compostable polymers and polymeric alloys that are to be produced, offering high performance under actual use conditions, are also proprietary. Upon completion of the industrialisation phase, scheduled for the end of 2021, the Terni plant will be another good practice example of bioeconomy infrastructure being integrated in a local area.
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TAIF JSC Group announced start of operational phase of 10,000t PHA plant
The TAIF JSC Group, a player in the conventional petrochemical sector, announced the start of the operational phase of a PHA plant that will produce 10,000 tonnes of PHA per year and that will be located in the Republic of Tatarstan – Russia. The project is based on a license agreement with Bio-on SpA, an Italian IP company active in the field of high quality bioplastics. The launch of the project follows an agreement signed between the parties in October of 2018 as part of bilateral agreements between Italy and Russia. On the basis of the agreement, Bio-on has completed the Process Design Package (PDP) and made available the documentation necessary for the design and construction of the new PHA plant. The construction of the plant also including engineering activities, which are assigned to external companies, has already started. It is planned to award the contract for the turn-key construction of the plant by the end of the year, with a forecasted production start in the second half of 2021.
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Tetra Pak Becomes First Company in Food and Beverage Industry Offering
Packaging Made With Fully Traceable Plant-based Polymers Tetra Pak, together with its Brazilian supplier Braskem, has become the first company in the food and beverage industry to responsibly source plant-based polymers using the Bonsucro standards for sustainable sugar cane. This move is yet another reinforcement of the company’s commitment to drive ethical and responsible business practices across global supply chains, while lowering the carbon footprint of its packaging. “Our plant-based polymers are fully traceable to their sugarcane origin. We see plant-based materials as playing a key role in achieving a low-carbon circular economy. In the future all polymers we use will either be made from plant-based materials or from post-consumption recycled food grades”, says Mario Abreu, VP Sustainability at Tetra Pak. The announcement forms part of Tetra Pak’s recently launched Planet Positive initiative, which urges industry stakeholders to take a broader view on sustainability, evolving the concept of circular economy to a low-carbon circular economy, where the company goes beyond recycling and reuse to include the carbon impact of raw materials and manufacturing.
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