Must-watch 4 Sustainability Trends 2024 in Plastic Innovation: SCGC GREEN POLYMER™

Sustainability continues to be the core essence of the Sustainable Development Goals (17 SDGs) and is a crucial topic in the development and growth of the global economy. Today, SCGC highlights SCGC GREEN POLYMER™, an environmentally friendly chemical innovation, in response to innovation trends. It serves as an interesting example of the 2024 technology trends in the environmental sector and the sustainability trends of 2024 while promoting future trends concerning climate change.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------´

Let’s update ourselves on "5 Sustainability Trends 2024" with SCGC.

These sustainability trends will enhance proactive work dimensions,

including innovations, particularly in artificial intelligence,

which will improve work efficiency and interesting stories about climate change.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------´

SCG Chemicals Public Company Limited, or SCGC, is a leader in integrated chemical solutions in Thailand and ASEAN, with strategic bases in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand. We are one of the world's leading companies committed to continuously driving the development of chemical innovations that address new innovation trends, including technology trends in 2024 and sustainability trends in 2024.

One of our key green innovations is SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM, an innovative plastic solution that addresses application needs while promoting environmental care in four key areas: Reduce, which involves minimizing resource usage; Recyclable, focusing on design for recyclability; Recycle, emphasizing recycling materials; and Renewable, utilizing renewable resources.

⇒ REDUCE: Minimizing Resource Usage ⇐

SCGC has developed SMX™ technology, which significantly strengthens plastic resins, reducing product thickness without compromising their performance. This technology facilitates easy molding, reduces the use of plastic resins, lightens the weight of products, and subsequently decreases energy usage in transportation and carbon dioxide emissions.

• • • SCGC, in partnership with Lion (Thailand), has launched a special lightweight packaging for dishwashing products such as Lipon F, Pro, and Shokubutsu Monogatari shower cream. This packaging can reduce weight by up to 12% while retaining the essential properties of the packaging. This innovation aligns with the principles of a circular economy and helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, following the Low Waste and Low Carbon approach.
    • SCGC, in partnership with Colgate-Palmolive (Thailand), has developed lightweight packaging for powder products under the Care and Protex brands. This packaging, reinforced by SMX™ technology, is 20% stronger than conventional plastic, enabling up to an 8% reduction in packaging weight while maintaining its performance. This initiative supports resource reduction in line with circular economy principles and sustainable reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
    • SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM SX002J and SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM SX002JA, under the SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM brand, effectively meet the requirements for special lightweight caps for soft drink bottles. The SX002JA grade has passed Coca-Cola's standard tests for producing 2-gram bottle caps. These innovations significantly reduce packaging weight and are certified by the SCG Green Choice label for conserving natural resources and extending product lifespan (Circularity).
    • SCGC™ SMX551BU, high-quality plastic resins based on SMX™ technology, are designed for Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC). The innovation caters to the industrial sector that uses large chemical storage tanks, offering up to a 10% reduction in material usage (depending on the tank design). This chemical innovation for sustainability has been co-developed with Dow (Thailand).

⇒ RECYCLABLE: Design for Recyclability ⇐

Addressing the challenge of recycling flexible packaging, a popular choice for frozen foods, dry foods, snacks, and refill pouches, SCGC has developed solutions for manufacturers, brands, and environmentally conscious consumers that enable 100% recyclability. This innovation in chemical solutions is a response to the sustainability trends of 2024 and emerging innovation trends worth watching.

SCGC has developed solutions to create packaging solely using materials like Polyethylene (PE), Polypropylene (PP), or Polyolefins (PO) (Recyclable Packaging Solution). This approach enhances recycling efficiency while maintaining the functional properties equivalent to those of the original packaging. It addresses the principles of the circular economy and further enhances environmental friendliness.

Furthermore, SCGC has innovated and developed a coating for film layers that prevents air permeation, certified by RecyClass as the first in ASEAN. This innovation replaces the use of a multi-material layer in flexible packaging, like those used for chilled food, frozen food, dry food, and refill pouches for body care and cleaning products. By using only one type of plastic material throughout the packaging, or Mono-Material, it can be effectively recycled.

⇒ RECYCLE: Recycling Materials ⇐

It would be greatly beneficial if every piece of plastic on Earth had the opportunity to be reborn. SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM's Recycle solution transforms used plastics into high-quality post-consumer recycled resin – PCR. SCGC continually improves these properties, initially developed to reduce the use of new plastic resins. Now, they are employed in various products, aligning with the trend of sustainable plastic innovation.

Furthermore, SCGC has taken recycling technology to the next level with advanced recycling. This technology transforms used plastics into raw materials for petrochemical plants to produce plastic resins equivalent to virgin ones. These are suitable for food packaging and certified for sustainability standards by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) across the entire supply chain.

SCGC's commitment to producing recycled plastic resins extends to key markets in Europe, starting with an investment in Sirplaste, a leading plastic recycling company in Portugal. Sirplaste has increased its high-quality PCR production capacity by an additional 25%, resulting in a total production capacity of over 45,000 tons per year. Additionally, SCGC has invested in KRAS, a leading Dutch waste management group, to advance a comprehensive plastic recycling business and meet the growing global demand, especially in Europe, where the demand for environmentally-friendly packaging is continuously rising.

• SCGC and Unilever have announced a collaboration to convert Unilever’s packaging bottles from HDPE plastic to recycled HDPE (rHDPE) plastic. This initiative, a first in Thailand, recycles household plastics into new packaging bottles using high-quality recycled plastic resins and innovative odor elimination technology. These bottles, free from undesirable odors, are produced under the SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM
• Shell Thailand has introduced green lubricant packaging made from 100% high-quality PCR under the SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM brand, piloting with the premium engine oil “Shell Helix Ultra.”

⇒ RENEWABLE: Utilizing Renewable Resources ⇐

Another development in green plastics is the production of plastics from natural, plant-based (bio-based) materials and renewable resources, which have a lower carbon footprint than conventional plastics. This includes bio-compostable plastics, offering another solution to the issue of used plastics escaping into nature. These chemical innovations also respond to the new technology trends 2024 and sustainability trends 2024.

Recognizing the necessity and opportunity of producing bioplastics, SCGC has partnered with Braskem, a global leader in bioplastics from Brazil, to expedite feasibility studies for investing in a bioplastic production plant in Thailand. A joint venture agreement with Braskem has been signed to establish a new joint venture company. The aim is to produce green ethylene from agricultural ethanol instead of fossil-based ethylene. This plant will have a production capacity of 200,000 tons per year. SCGC will use green ethylene as a raw material to produce Green-PE (Green-Polyethylene), which has a negative carbon footprint. These materials can be used to manufacture a wide variety of products, such as food and beverage packaging, personal care items, and household goods, under the brand I’m green™. This initiative aligns with the growing global megatrend of environmentally friendly plastics, particularly in Asia and Europe.

SCGC GREEN POLYMER^TM's four solutions align with the Sustainability Trends, encompassing Reduce, which focuses on minimizing resource usage; Recyclable, design for recyclability; Recycle, recycling materials; and Renewable, utilizing renewable resources. These chemical innovations address the emerging innovation trends, technology trends of 2024, and sustainability trends of 2024. These innovations represent a significant shift in the industrial world, elevating plastic packaging towards sustainability. SCGC aims to increase the sales volume of green polymers to 1 million tons per year by 2030, driving the efficient use of resources following the circular economy principles. This initiative aims to create better outcomes for consumers, meeting their usage needs while taking care of the environment.