ExxonMobil and Scientex commercialise use of certified-circular polymers in Asia Pacific

ExxonMobil has made its first commercial sale of certified-circular Exceed PE polymers in Asia Pacific to Scientex, a leading player in flexible plastic packaging with headquarters in Malaysia and plants in Malaysia, Vietnam, Myanmar and the US. The certified-circular Exceed polymers are formulated using ExxonMobil’s proprietary Exxtend technology for advanced recycling.

Certified-circular polymers using ExxonMobil’s Exxtend were first commercialised earlier this year, with sales made in the Americas and Europe.

The delivery of certified-circular polymers in Asia Pacific is significant as, up to now, there has been mostly discussion around plastic waste collection and the development of advanced recycling facilities, with few certified-circular products actually available in the region.

This sale builds on ExxonMobil’s commitment in the region, which includes the signing of two memoranda of understanding to assess large-scale implementation of advanced recycling in both Malaysia and Indonesia.

“We are excited to be among the first to make ISCC PLUS certified-circular PE polymers available to customers in Asia Pacific,” said Chan Kwee Lin, Asia Pacific Advanced Recycling and Sustainability Market Manager for ExxonMobil.

International Sustainability and Carbon Certification PLUS (ISCC PLUS) is a widely recognised global industry standard to certify products that result from advanced recycling using mass balance attribution of plastic waste.

ExxonMobil has obtained ISCC PLUS certification for many of its facilities, including at Baytown, Texas, where the company has processed more than 6,700 tonnes of plastic waste as of September 2022. ExxonMobil plans to build capacity to process 500,000 tonnes of plastic waste by year-end 2026 across multiple sites around the world.

“Commercialising certified-circular polymers in our region is an essential enabler to help customers and brand owners realize their sustainability goals. By offering advanced recycling solutions, ExxonMobil is making it possible for a far broader range of products to be recycled. This puts us one step closer to a world where society can better capture the value of plastics,” Chan added.

Scientex will be among the first in Asia Pacific to use certified-circular performance PE polymers to produce films for high performance flexible packaging, including food-grade packaging applications, in collaboration with brand owners and other customers.

Choo Seng Hong, Chief Operations Officer, Scientex Packaging Division, shed some light on the motivation behind their initiative: “We recognise the importance of sustainability and believe that it requires the collective effort of the value chain. We have engaged with our customers to develop sustainable plastic packaging and assisted them to achieve their sustainability goals. Incorporating certified-circular resins into our packaging solutions is one concrete way we can support a circular economy and in turn, contribute to a better tomorrow. We are honoured and excited to be part of this incredible journey!”

ExxonMobil’s Exxtend technology for advanced recycling can help widen the range of plastic materials that can be recycled, turning difficult-to-recycle plastic waste back to its original building blocks to be used to make new products, and helping to maintain the performance of material over multiple recycling loops. Product quality and performance of the certified- circular polymers are identical to polymers made from virgin raw materials, so customers can be confident when using them in existing applications.

(PRA)

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