Fortum transforms carbon emissions into biodegradable plastic for food and cosmetics packaging

Fortum Recycling & Waste has successfully produced biodegradable plastic from carbon dioxide emissions from waste incineration at its plant in Riihimäki, Finland. The Finnish circular waste management company expects to expand this new material production primarily for sustainable food and cosmetics packaging and potentially other sectors like toys and home electronics. 

Similar carbon capture development projects are underway in several industrial sectors in Finland and globally, but most focus on synthetic fuel production and storing captured carbon under seabeds, highlights Fortum.

“Captured carbon dioxide should be utilized as a new raw material instead of storing it underground or releasing it into the atmosphere when using fuel. Utilizing captured CO2 is a much more sustainable option in terms of tackling resource scarcity in the future,” says Tony Rehn, head of the Carbon2x program at Fortum.

“Whereas carbon capture and storage is a linear solution that does not address the growing material shortage, carbon capture and utilization promotes circular economy.”

Two years ago, the Carbon2x program piloted carbon capture. It aims to capture carbon dioxide emissions from the incineration of non-recyclable waste and use them to produce sustainable products, such as biodegradable plastic. 

Calling on next-generation plastics

Fortum highlights that every year, Europe generates nearly 100 million tons of non-recyclable waste that is incinerated and utilized in energy production.

Rehn says the broader implementation of the Carbon2x program’s innovation would mean that up to 90% of the CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere from waste incineration could be captured and bound into products.

He affirms new sustainable solutions are needed for plastic production to complement recycled and bio-based plastics. Biodegradable, CO2-based plastic is poised as a “significant alternative” to the market because it has the same qualitative properties as traditional, fossil-based virgin plastics.

“We want to promote the circulation of materials comprehensively. We believe that a whole new category of sustainable plastics is emerging from products such as ours, even though the mechanical recycling of plastics is still needed,” Rehn clarifies.

Biodegradable, CO2-based plastic can be recycled just like many other plastics, closing the carbon cycle, highlights Fortum.

Rehn estimates that at this rate of development, the industrial production of biodegradable plastic made from waste incineration’s CO2 emissions could start as early as the end of the decade.

The new “plastics born from CO2” brand will be introduced to the European market next month.

Innova Market Insights finds that 48% of consumers say that it is important to them that a product displays its carbon footprint and the measures that have been taken to offset it.

Utilizing captured carbon

Various research and development organizations have presented options for storing captured carbon dioxide under the seabed.

“However, the Carbon2x program believes that a more environmentally friendly and — in terms of resource scarcity — a better solution is to utilize captured carbon dioxide as new materials instead of storing it. This can reduce the use of fossil raw materials and return carbon to the material cycle,” underscores Fortum.

In this field, Borealis, a supplier of advanced and sustainable plastics, and Infinium, a US-based electro fuels provider, recently partnered to produce low-carbon polyolefins from waste CO2 emissions for use in manufacturing consumer goods like packaging, appliances, clothing and medical devices.

Personal Care Insights previously caught up with Freya Burton, chief sustainability officer for LanzaTech, about the potential of carbon capture and utilization to maximize profits from cosmetic manufacturing operations. Within the sector, L’Oréal has plans to fully commercialize cosmetics plastic packaging from captured and carbon emissions by next year.