Our member Fortum Recycling & Waste, a leading Finnish company in waste management and circular solutions, has achieved a breakthrough by producing biodegradable plastic from carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions generated by waste incineration at its Riihimäki plant. This innovation, utilising carbon capture and utilisation (CCU) technology, marks a key milestone in reducing and repurposing industrial CO₂ emissions for more sustainable plastic production.
Tony Rehn, Head of Fortum’s Carbon2x concept, launched in April 2022, emphasises that utilising captured CO₂ as a raw material offers a more sustainable solution for addressing future resource scarcity, while also promoting the circular economy through CCU technologies.
This innovation will help reduce dependence on fossil-based raw materials, such as biodegradable plastic, improve Europe’s self-sufficiency, and decarbonise waste incineration. This sustainable alternative has similar qualities to traditional plastics and can be recycled. It also decomposes without leaving harmful microplastics in nature. Fortum aims to launch industrial production by the end of the decade, with the new brand “plastics born from CO₂” debuting in the European market in November 2024.
Read more about the published press release here.
