Neste and Eppendorf collaborate to develop renewable bio-based plastics

05 Dec 2023 --- Neste has partnered with laboratory equipment manufacturer and supplier Eppendorf to replace fossil-based lab plastics by launching a line of renewable consumables named Eppendorf Consumables BioBased.

The range introduces lab consumables such as tubes manufactured with Neste RE, a feedstock derived from renewable raw materials, such as used cooking oil.

The portfolio comprises Eppendorf Tubes with screw caps and Eppendorf Totally Integrated Pipetting System BioBased filter pipette tips. Crafted from certified PP based on renewable raw materials, these consumables are said to provide labs with an “environmentally sustainable alternative.”

The companies detail that Neste’s renewable Neste RE feedstock is used to produce the tubes, while the screw caps and pipette tips are made in cooperation with other suppliers. A mass balancing approach is applied to allocate the renewable content to the products.

In addition to utilizing renewables, the partners are exploring options for chemical recycling to advance the sustainability of Eppendorf’s lab consumables. This includes recycling existing consumables and incorporating recycled content into the production of new items.

“At Eppendorf, we are committed to supporting our customers in their efforts to become more sustainable, and by combining our expertise with Neste’s, we have been able to deliver high-performance, sustainable plastic consumables that can help the scientific community to reduce its carbon footprint,” says Brigitte Klose, global marketing manager for Consumables at Eppendorf.Eppendorf and Neste aim to replace single-use plastics in the life science industry with the Eppendorf Consumables BioBased products.

“This collaboration with Neste is another substantial step forward in our strive toward sustainability, and we look forward to continuing pioneering together in developing renewable alternatives.”

Targeting defossilization
Eppendorf and Neste have prioritized the life science industry for the first range of products using the renewable alternative.

“The life science industry is a substantial consumer of single-use plastics and as the world faces growing environmental challenges, Eppendorf and Neste recognize the urgent need for more sustainable solutions,” share the companies.

The Eppendorf Consumables BioBased products can offer the same level of performance as the fossil oil-based counterparts, meeting the stringent requirements demanded by scientific experiments. 

Maria Carcolé, head of brand owner management at Neste Renewable Polymers and Chemicals, states: “Laboratory applications come with high-quality requirements for the materials used. The cooperation with Eppendorf shows that a transition to more sustainable materials is already possible despite these requirements. It just takes will and cooperation to get there.”

By introducing renewable materials into lab plastics, Eppendorf and Neste aim to help labs and corporations reduce climate impact, contributing to the defossilization of the life science industry. 

Edited by Radhika Sikaria