Borealis ties into carbon dioxide-to-plastics technology

Austria-based Borealis AG and Sacramento, California-based Infinium have entered into an agreement to invest in the production of low-carbon-footprint plastics generated from CO₂ emissions to create polyolefin plastics, which are commonly used in manufacturing consumer goods including packaging, appliances, apparel and medical devices.

“Many people aren’t aware that countless plastics products we use every day come from fossil-based components,” Infinium CEO Robert Schuetzle says. “With Infinium eNaphtha, Borealis will create plastics with an ultra-low carbon footprint for customers and end consumers seeking more sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives.”

Infinium is a supplier of commercial volumes of eNaphtha, which it says is a sustainable drop-in alternative to traditional fossil-based naphtha. The company says it is helping to decarbonize plastics production and reduce CO₂ emissions globally. Infinium’s eNaphtha is manufactured at its Project Pathfinder facility in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Commercial eNaphtha volumes are being shipped to Borealis’ Porvoo facility in Finland, which the companies say provides advanced and sustainable polyolefin solutions to its manufacturing customers.

The two firms say the world’s first commercial eNaphtha shipment left the United States in May. Plastics made from Infinium eNaphtha can be produced using the same facilities and manufacturing equipment and recycled in the same way as with a conventional naphtha-based product, they add.

“ENaphtha produced at the Infinium Pathfinder facility has received International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus certification from that ISCC body," Borealis says, ensuring the traceability of the sustainably produced feedstock from its point of origin throughout the entire chain of custody.

“We are excited to be using Infinium eNaphtha to expand our portfolio of sustainable products," says Mirjam Mayer, vice president at Borealis. Atmospheric carbon is a strategic element of the Borealis Circular Cascade approach to foster the transition toward greater circularity in plastics and carbon. It allows us to serve the needs of our customers while reducing their carbon footprints.

“Through this collaboration with Infinium, we show that atmospheric carbon, obtained by effectively capturing and storing carbon emissions in products during their lifetime, can constitute a circular building block for the future. This is one of the ways that Borealis is reinventing essentials for sustainable living.”