Braskem begins South America's first sale of chemically recycled polyethylene, advancing circular economy efforts with Copobras and Neste partnership.
Braskem S.A., based in São Paulo, Brazil, has announced the successful commercialization of its first chemically recycled polyethylene (PE) in South America. This milestone transaction involved the sale of the circular PE to the Copobras Group, which will utilize the resin in producing flexible packaging specifically for the pet food industry. The circular PE is part of Braskem’s Wenew product line—an initiative focused on promoting circular economy principles throughout the plastics and chemicals value chain.
The circular resin was manufactured using raw materials sourced from Neste Corporation, a Finnish refining and sustainable solutions company. In 2024, Braskem and Neste signed a supply agreement for the delivery of circular and bio-circular feedstocks, enabling Braskem to expand its production of sustainable resins and chemicals.
“This marks our first successful implementation of chemical recycling in South America. With Neste providing the feedstock, Braskem transforming it into circular PE, and the sale to Copobras, we have completed the entire cycle,” said Pier Pesce, Business Development Manager at Braskem South America. He emphasized that this achievement represents a pivotal advancement for Braskem in its pursuit of sustainability and circular economy practices.
A notable feature of this chemically recycled material is its compliance with food-contact packaging regulations. The process of chemical recycling yields high-purity monomers, which are molecularly identical to those derived from virgin fossil resources. As a result, they meet all safety and regulatory requirements set by ANVISA (Brazil’s Health Regulatory Agency) for food packaging without requiring any special approval. This contrasts significantly with mechanical recycling, which often faces limitations due to material degradation and regulatory hurdles.
The first sale of this circular PE reinforces Braskem’s commitment to advancing chemical recycling technologies and building a sustainable product portfolio. Since 2021, the company has invested heavily in developing such technologies and acquiring circular feedstocks generated through pyrolysis processes. The polyethylene delivered to Copobras carries the ISCC Plus certification, validating the resin’s quality and sustainable attributes.
Commenting on the partnership, Morgana Bon, Product Engineering Manager at Copobras, stated, “The quality of Braskem’s circular PE is exceptional, and we are proud to be the first company in South America to adopt it. Solutions like this are essential to establishing sustainable industry standards and addressing the increasing demand from consumers and brand owners for environmentally responsible products.”
This achievement marks a major step forward for South America’s chemical industry, highlighting the growing role of circular solutions in building a sustainable, low-carbon future.
