Questions and answers about Neste and plastics

Why is Neste involved in producing plastics? 
We are highly motivated to do good in society, to create a healthier planet for our children. With regards to renewables, we have the technology and know-how to leverage our positive impact from fuels and transportation sector to other areas of life. We have been developing renewable and circular solutions for over a decade, and today we can help also the polymers and chemicals industries to reduce their crude oil dependency and carbon footprint of their products.
Together with a network of partners, we are replacing fossil materials with renewable and recycled materials. We are also developing ways to better reuse plastics to save resources.

Is Neste a plastics producer?
Neste has a product, Neste RE, with which virgin-grade quality plastics can be produced from Neste’s 100% renewable and recycled feedstocks. Collaboration with several value chain partners, such as plastics producing companies, is key in this concept. Together with our partners, we are able to provide these climate-friendlier plastics to companies striving for more sustainable solutions. 
We are also developing chemical recycling as a means to increase plastics recycling rate and to use liquefied waste plastics as a raw material. This raw material can be used as a replacement to crude oil in the production of new plastics and chemicals.

What raw materials does Neste use to produce its renewable and recycled feedstock for plastics production?
Neste RE combines renewable and recycled components. The former are 100% renewable hydrocarbons and renewable propane. These can be produced from waste and residue oils and fats and sustainably-produced vegetable oils. The recycled component is produced from liquefied waste plastic that cannot be recycled mechanically, such as colored, multilayer or multimaterial packaging.

Do Neste and its partners produce bio-based plastics with 100% bio- or recycled content?
So far, polymers and chemicals producers have used our renewable Neste RE feedstocks together with fossil based feedstock to produce renewable and bio-based plastics. In one of these collaborations, an independent third-party tested these products using carbon tracers and confirmed they contained over 30% renewable content. However, Neste RE can be used in the polymers production just like fossil raw materials without limitations. Hence, Neste RE could also be used to produce plastics with 100% renewable content. The more fossil content is replaced with renewable or recycled content, the better for our planet. 

Does Neste produce biodegradable plastics with its partners?
This hasn't been the case. Instead of compostable characteristics, the brands benefiting from Neste RE have valued recyclability. Instead of compostable characteristics, the brands benefitting from Neste RE have valued recyclability. Recyclability of materials is important to us and our partners. Renewable and bio-based plastics produced with Neste RE are recyclable similarly to conventional plastics.

Where can plastics containing renewable and recycled content be used?
Plastic derived from Neste RE can be used to replace fossil -based plastic in a wide variety of products including parts for cars, packaging, consumer goods, such as toys, and electronics, to name a few. In these applications, for example, biodegradability would not be a desired feature but recyclability is highly valued.