UPM Biochemicals and Selenis partner to deploy PET glycol in upscaling forest biomass-based packaging

02 Jun 2023 --- UPM Biochemicals has announced a new partnership with polyester resin specialist Selenis that will deploy forest-sourced materials from Germany into plastic packaging applications to reduce carbon emissions. 

The partnership will use PET glycol (PETG) resin that accelerates the introduction of renewable materials into plastic applications. PETG is a transparent, FDA-approved material used in various applications, including cosmetics and personal care packaging, heat shrink sleeves and durable goods, such as bulk dispensers. 

UPM will supply Selenis with its new sustainable bio-mono-ethylene glycol (Bio-MEG), called UPM BioPura, to make partial BioPETG. 

UPM BioPura is produced from certified hardwood obtained from forests in Germany’s Leuna regions, where the company is building the “world’s first industry scale biorefinery,” converting wood biomass into biochemicals. 

Innova Market Insights this year pegged “Renewable Rebellion” as a top trend for 2023, noting that pollution and climate change fears and geopolitical uncertainties around the availability of oil and gas – exacerbated by the war in Ukraine – are driving the movement to renewable packaging made from paper and bioplastics.

An example of PETG packaging from UPM Biochemicals and Selenis. (Image credit: Selenis)Feedstock assurances 
At this year’s Interpack trade show, experts addressed the concerns over feedstock supplies as packaging manufacturers look to renewable resources such as agrowaste to replace fossil fuel-based polymers in their applications. 

Derek Atkinson, vice president of sales and business development at Total Corbion PLA, dismissed worries of a shortage of feedstocks that could otherwise enter the food supply chain, saying: “The reality is there is more than enough food in the world to feed everyone, but there is a food waste issue.” 

Similarly, UPM asserts the biomass produced through its partnership with Selenis does not compete with food resources and will enable manufacturers “a viable option to redefine their net zero targets and significantly reduce their scope 3 emissions.”

“Partnerships like ours are at the heart of a greener, more sustainable chemistry,” explains Michael Duetsch, vice president for Biochemicals at UPM.

“We will work with Selenis to deliver outstanding solutions for their customers, enabling them to innovate toward sustainable packaging solutions with a significantly reduced greenhouse gas footprint,” he says. 

“As the packaging industry is truly striving for a more environmentally friendly future, incorporating bio-based materials like UPM BioPura alongside an ever-increasing share of recycled materials will be an essential part.”

Recycling and biobased mixing 
Selenis says it focuses on developing products suitable for the PET recycling stream and has “revolutionary technology” that upcycles plastic waste into new polymers, replacing fossil-fuel feedstocks with recycled polyester raw material. 

The partnership with UPM allows Selenis converters and brand owners to customize their products to reduce their carbon footprint by adding bio and recycled content, with no performance trade-offs. 

Moreover, Selenis is investing in self-generated solar energy, which will allow the usage of fully green energy in the manufacturing process of the polymer, further supporting brand owners on their decarbonization strategies.

“We center our innovation efforts in markets where the pressure for recyclable solutions is higher because the life of the product is shorter, meaning end-of-life solutions are more critical. The packaging and the cosmetics industries are two examples where brand owners prioritize circularity,” explained Marta Matos Gil, chief sustainability officer at Selenis.

“As we take steps toward becoming a regenerative company, developing products that meet sustainable standards in recyclability, eco-resource efficiency and eco-friendly compositions to improve their circularity is vital. Our new partnership with UPM illustrates how we are working across the value chain to create tangible solutions that support the advancement of a circular economy and considerably reduce plastic waste.” 

By Louis Gore-Langton