The petrochemical company Braskem announced a project in early May for a 235-million-dollar factory to be built in southern Brazil and will require the initial input of 400 million liters of sugarcane alcohol.

This alternative plastic decomposes one year after being discarded, while the common sort of plastic, made from petroleum, takes 200 years to decompose.

The plant-based plastic is not completely "green" because it requires other inputs in its production that can contaminate, such as dyes, according to Felipe Amaral, coordinator of the Gaúcho Environmental Defense Movement. Also, "its degradation will release chemical substances," he told Tierramérica. 

Braskem, which is the leading company in the thermoplastic resins segment in Latin America and the second largest Brazilian industrial company owned by the private sector, announced in 2007 that it would begin production of the first internationally-certified polyethylene made from sugarcane ethanol, using competitive technologies developed at the company's Technology and Innovation Center. The product was certified as containing 100% renewable raw materials.

The green polymer developed by Braskem, a high density polyethylene, is the result of a research and development project that had received some US $5 million in investment. "The leadership of Braskem in the green polyethylene project confirms our commitment to innovation and sustainable development, and creates a very favorable outlook for the development of plastic products made from renewable raw materials, a field in which Brazil has natural competitive advantages", said Braskem CEO José Carlos Grubisich.

The production of plastics from ethanol seeks to supply the main international markets that require products with superior performance and quality, in particular the automotive, food-packaging, cosmetics and personal-hygiene industries. Evaluations conducted in the initial phase of the project ascertained enormous potential for growth and appreciation in the green polymer market. Since both resins are equal in terms of properties and performance, the plastics manufacturing industry should benefit from this important development with no need to invest in new industrial equipment."Braskem is extremely proud to be at the forefront of a technological breakthrough that aligns the interests of the company, our shareholders, clients and consumers, and that above all else is a great source of pride among Brazilians", concludes Grubisich.

This story was prepared using two sources: a story entitled Brazil: Biodegradable Plastic from Sugarcane, was datelined Rio de Janeiro May 11, 2009 and distributed by Tierramérica, and a news release entitled Braskem has the first certified green Polyethylene in the World, issued June 21, 2007 by Braskem.