SIBUR has launched production of PET granules using recycled feedstock. The new product, Vivilen rPET granules, contains up to 25–30% recycled polymers and will now be manufactured at POLIEF.

Victoria Abramchenko, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, said: “One of the core principles of sustainable development is the rational use of resources and transition to circular economy. The government has already launched an interdisciplinary project bearing the same name, and we will allocate RUB 10 bn over the next three years to finance it. First and foremost, the initiative is aimed at reusing materials that can be extracted from production and consumption waste. SIBUR’s site, where we are launching this production facility today, is illustrative of the right approach to the reuse of recycled materials."

Once the facility reaches its design capacity, each year POLIEF will be able to produce up to 144,000 tonnes of Vivilen PET granules with a share of recycled content. The volume of polymers that can be involved in reuse amount to up to 34,000 tonnes, which compares with 1.7 bn used plastic bottles. To make this project a reality, SIBUR had to integrate the recycled feedstock supply line into the primary PET process in place at the facility in Bashkortostan. POLIEF’s total PET production capacity is expected at 252,000 tonnes per year.

The testing and homologation of the new equipment with the first potential customers have been successfully completed. The results of the tests confirm that Vivilen rPET is on a par with the primary polymer in terms of technical and operational qualities, it complies with the food safety standards and can be used in the production of packaging for food and beverages. Project costs totalled over RUB 4 bn. The initiative was also supported by Russia’s Industrial Development Fund, which provided a low-interest loan of RUB 1.2 bn.

Alexander Petrov, member of the Management Board and Managing Director at SIBUR, said: “SIBUR has worked consistently to improve its environmental performance. This is a complex task that involves the implementation of projects to reduce the environmental impact of existing production facilities and the roll out of social initiatives to promote responsible consumption. Another important point of this task is focusing on how to make the product environmentally friendly. The Vivilen rPET project is a great example of achieving that. Production of recycled PET granules is not just another project, it is an important contribution to reverse logistics that helps turn used plastic bottles into new ones”.