Dow's Renewable Plastic from Agriculture Residue

Recently, Dow and New Energy Blue announced a long-term supply agreement in North America, in which New Energy Blue will use renewable agricultural residues to produce bio ethylene. This partnership aims to reduce carbon emissions during plastic production while meeting the growing demand for sustainable and recyclable plastic applications in various industries.

By reusing agricultural residues, Dow has taken an important step towards establishing a circular economy and providing farmers with a reliable waste market. 

According to the terms of the agreement, Dow is supporting the design of New Energy Freedom in Mason, Iowa, which is expected to process 275000 tons of corn straw annually and produce commercial quantities of second-generation ethanol and clean lignin.

Nearly half of ethanol will be converted into bio based ethylene raw materials for Dow products. The agreement also provides similar commercial supply options for Dow's four future New Energy Blue projects, supporting New Energy Blue's ability to expand production scale and providing farmers with reliable market support for agricultural residues. These five projects are expected to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by over one million tons annually.

The President of Dow Packaging and Special Products said, "In our new partnership with New Energy Blue, we are unlocking the value of agricultural residues. By committing to purchasing their bio based ethylene, we are helping to innovate in waste recycling, meet customer demand for bio based plastics, and strengthen the ecosystem of diverse and renewable solutions

Through this agreement, Dow will increase its use of renewable but still recyclable resources, transforming them into products that consumers use every day. Due to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere during the decomposition process of corn straw, the agreement between Dow and New Energy Blue will also help reduce agricultural carbon emissions by reusing the previously wasted carbon.