Fossil-Free Future: Avantium’s Quest for Sustainable Plastics

In response to increasing pressure from governments and shifting consumer expectations, companies are setting aggressive packaging sustainability goals to reduce plastic waste. But what are the alternatives? Based in the Netherlands, Avantium is working to commercialize recyclable polymers and ingredients for a variety of applications where fossil-based resources are commonly used. We chatted with Math Lambalk, Business Development Manager, to learn how Avantium’s innovations could help accelerate the transition to a more circular future.

What is the most advanced technology at Avantium? How will it have real-world impact? That would be our YXY Technology®, which converts sugar from plants into Avantium’s lead product,  PEF (Polyethylene Furanoate). PEF is a completely recyclable and sustainable polymer that can be used in many modern-day plastic products such as packaging for food and beverages. Fossil resources are still the main source for most materials and chemicals we use every day. But the world is becoming more aware of how fossil-based resources are contributing to the climate crisis and other environmental issues. Our portfolio of technologies and lead products, including PEF, not only helps reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but also achieves a circular future and accelerates the transition to a fossil-free world. What technology at Avantium excites you the most? I’m particularly excited for what we have in store for our Ray Technology™, which converts sugars into plant-based mono-ethylene glycol: our Ray plantMEG™. Ray plantMEG™ is identical in performance and quality to fossil-based MEG, an important chemical building block for PET or PEF resin in everyday items such as plastic bottles and packaging, furniture, clothes, paint and coatings. PlantMEG™ gives brands the option of a sustainable, recyclable and innovative ingredient that will attract environmentally conscious consumers. We opened the demonstration plant to produce plantMEG™ at the end of 2019, which was an important milestone for us. Last year, we successfully commissioned the start-up of this plant. With this facility, we are producing our plant-based glycols for validation purposes in all relevant applications, therefore acting as a flywheel for commercial developments of plantMEG™. Another exciting point I want to add about the future potential of this technology is that, according to our internal calculations, there are significant carbon reductions when producing plantMEG™. We are currently in the process of formalizing this through an environmental life cycle assessment. When the use of these sustainable alternatives becomes mainstream, it could become a real game-changer in the polyester value chain. The future is looking bright for Ray.

PlantMEG™ gives brands the option of a sustainable, recyclable and innovative ingredient that will attract environmentally conscious consumers.

What are the challenges to commercially scaling up technologies? How is Avantium facing  them? I would say that adoption is the key challenge. We’re trying to deal with this by engaging with our partners early. These include what we call “upstream partners” such as producers of plant-based sugar feedstocks, and “downstream partners” such as companies and consumer brands that produce or use resins, clothing, furniture, plastic bottles and more.  How does Avantium plan to create a closed-loop system for its products? Our plantMEG™ not only decouples plastics from fossil feedstocks, but it is also fully recyclable. This drastically reduces the amount of plastic that ends up in our ecosystem. Circular solutions are needed for a sustainable future, and our plantMEG™ can play a pivotal role in this.

Circular solutions are needed for a sustainable future, and our plantMEG™ can play a pivotal role in this.

What is the IMPRESS program, and what are its benefits?  The IMPRESS program is a consortium of ten leading European organizations, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, dedicated to researching and developing renewable resources to produce sustainable chemicals and materials. The program will help pave the way to a more sustainable supply chain and wean the world off fossil-based products. It’ll also help us further optimize our Ray Technology™, driving additional performance and cost-effectiveness.  How does Avantium collaborate with start-ups and industries to develop new technologies? An integral part of Avantium’s strategy is close collaboration with strong partners throughout the entire value chain. We work with companies who share our values and want to build a better world for future generations. 

We work with companies who share our values and want to build a better world for future generations. 

For us, it is really important that we collaborate with like-minded partners because we can’t build a sustainable, fossil-free future by ourselves; we all need to work together towards this goal. Many consumer brands have “talked the talk” about becoming greener, so now we are looking to help these brands “walk the walk.”