INNOVATION
Carbon recycling
Carbon is everywhere around us. It is a valuable raw material and should be treated as one. Plastics born from CO₂ are plastics made with recycled carbon from emissions. We capture CO₂ from emissions and combine it with hydrogen, creating raw materials that can be utilised for plastic production without losing any critical properties. Our technology draws inspiration from the same ancient techniques that for centuries have been used around the world to make necessities such as bread.
Why do we need carbon recycling? While we must think about how to decrease the use of plastic, we must also develop solutions to produce the plastic we do need in a way that preserves natural resources.
With current recycling technology, we keep plastic in circulation for as long as possible. Still, the overall demand for plastics grows faster than what the current recycling technology can produce. The global recycling rate of plastics increases at a slow rate: globally, less than 12% of plastics are recycled.
Current virgin plastics also rely on using fossil oils, which we need to decrease. Closing the circularity gap means reusing resources previously wasted. It is time to rethink plastic production and move away from fossil feedstock by complementing current recycling methods with carbon recycling.
71%
of European consumers say
they want to buy sustainable products.
PHA fermentation process
INGA is a high-quality polyester plastic known as PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate). The mechanical properties of these polyesters can be modified in many ways, which makes them versatile and suitable for many different applications. PHAs, INGA among them, are suited for different processing methods like extrusion, injection molding and dispersion coating.
For centuries, fermentation has been used in the production of everyday products such as yoghurt, bread and beer. The same principle also applies to the production of PHA plastics. The fermentation process is a safe and tested method of producing PHA, and combined with CO₂-based feedstock, it is the key in creating the next generation of sustainable plastics.
This is how we turn CO₂ into PHA
1 Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is captured from the flue gas
2 The CO₂ is reacted with hydrogen to produce intermediate chemicals.
3 The intermediate chemicals are fermented to produce PHA.
4 The PHA is then separated from the biomass, purified, and dried.
5 Finally, the PHA is blended with additives and extruded into polymer pellets.
Carbon2x – Recycled materials from CO₂
Carbon2x is an innovative concept for carbon capture and utilization (CCU) by NG Nordic. It reduces climate impacts of waste management and increases the recycling of valuable raw materials for plastic production. Every year, Europeans generate nearly 100 million tonnes of unrecyclable waste that is turned into energy. Carbon2x transforms traditionally wasted raw materials, like carbon dioxide emissions from waste incineration, into valuable, sustainable products.
