One of the polymerisation units of Sibur’s new petrochemical facility, Zap Sib Neftekhim in Siberia has come online. The unit is now producing polyethylene by using its own feedstock at its Tobolsk complex in Russia.

Solvay has brought the new Veradel Pesu line on-stream at its Panoli plant with an aim to increase the capacity of the thermoplastic material owing to its rising demand in the healthcare and water treatment industries.

Arkema has recently brought on stream a new 90,000-tonne acrylic acid reactor at its Texas site in the USA. The move aims to support the growth of the company’s customers in North America dealing in the superabsorbents, paints, adhesives and water treatment markets.

Archer Daniels Midland and LG Chem have signed a joint development agreement to develop biobased acrylic acid which is an important element for manufacturing superabsorbent polymers.

Neste and Remondis have plans to accelerate chemical recycling and aim to process over 200 kilo tonnes of waste plastic every year. Together, both the firms will combine their expertise to build an ecosystem around chemical recycling which will assist other companies in the value chain to follow suit.

Right from the United Nations’ Clean Seas campaign to the Paris agreement, single use plastics has become a burning issue across the globe. Nonetheless, prominent global companies have taken up the challenge to create a more sustainable and circular economy for the plastics industry.

Borealis and Neste are entering into strategic co-operation for the production of renewable polypropylene (PP). The co-operation is to enable the Austrian group to start using its partners renewable propane as renewable feedstock at its facilities in Kallo and Beringen, Belgium, starting end of 2019.

Dow and UPM Biofuels have teamed up to produce plastics from a bio-based renewable feedstock for the packaging industry. With this move, Dow plans to address the growing demand for renewable plastics across the globe.

Lyondell Basell has plans to construct the new small-scale facility as a test plant for converting post-consumer plastic waste into new plastics. The company aims to achieve this task by using its proprietary molecular recycling technology which includes a proprietary catalyst-based approach.

Arlanxeo has successfully completed turnaround of its CR plant in Germany, allowing for an annual production of up to 70,000 metric tonnes of CR. In France, the firm owns the largest NBR facility in the world and is currently undergoing modernisation.