Lausanne, Switzerland/ São Paulo - Brazil Tetra Pak has reached agreement with Brazilian petrochemical company, Braskem SA, to purchase limited volumes of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) derived entirely from a renewable feedstock. The agreement represents the first move toward using green polyethylene in the carton packaging industry.

Braskem expects the world’s first commercial-scale green polyethylene plant, located in the south of Brazil, to come on stream late next year and is targeting first deliveries to Tetra Pak early in 2011. The new facility will use ethanol derived from sugar cane to produce ethylene, which will then be converted into polyethylene, the world’s most commonly used plastic.

Under the terms of today’s agreement, Braskem will begin supplying Tetra Pak with 5 Ktons per year of green HDPE from 2011, for use in the production of plastic caps and closures. The volume represents just over 5 percent of the company's total HDPE demand, and is slightly less than 1 percent of its total plastics purchases.

“While this pilot project is a small first step into green polyethylene, it marks another milestone in our sustainability journey - and underscores our commitment to finding new ways to use renewable materials in our carton packaging,” said Tetra Pak President and Chief Executive Officer Dennis Jönsson.

Quelle: Tetra Pak

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