SABIC Certified Renewable Polymers Used in Delizio Coffee Capsules

SABIC announced that it will launch a new line of more sustainable coffee capsules based on SABIC's certified renewable polymers for use in Delica AG's proprietary Delizio capsule machines. Delica will use certified renewable polypropylene (PP) resins in its coffee capsules. Bio-based "second generation" materials are part of SABIC's TRUCIRCLE™ circular product and service portfolio. The new capsules were launched in April 2021 and replaced fossil-based virgin PP. As part of SABIC's commitment to the Delizio coffee capsule project, it is supplying certified renewable SABIC® PP materials to ALMA Packaging for conversion into a plastic film that is heat-formed into capsules. Delica fills and seals the capsules and then sells them to consumers through Migros, Switzerland's largest retail and supermarket chain and its parent company. SABIC's renewable PP materials are made from tall oil, a feedstock that does not directly compete with human food production sources and is free of animal and palm oil. Tall oil is a waste product from wood pulping in the paper industry. SABIC's certified renewable PP resins deliver the same high quality and purity as virgin PP made from fossil fuels.   "A life cycle study conducted by Carbotech showed that we can significantly reduce the environmental footprint of our Delizio capsules by replacing our old fossil-based base component with a tall oil-based renewable polypropylene material," says Ralf van den Bragt, Manager of the Coffee Business Unit at Delica AG. "With at least 65% certified renewable content, environmental impact is reduced to approximately 40% per capsule."   "Our bio PP films with SABIC's renewable polymers are leading plastic packaging solutions that provide high CO₂ savings while delivering the same suitable processing properties as conventional PP films," adds Philipp Broch, Chief Executive Officer of ALMA Packaging AG. "As specified by the customer and verified by mass balance accounting, they can be made from up to 95% renewable feedstock-based plastic."   The sustainability value or contribution of SABIC's certified renewable polymers is verified using a mass balance approach within the widely recognized International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) scheme. Mass balance determines the allocation of renewable content used in the production and conversion of plastic material to the final application. This enables brand owners such as Migros to highlight and measure the more sustainable choice that consumers can make by purchasing end products packaged with renewable plastics. ISCC PLUS accreditation verifies that mass balance accounting complies with predefined and transparent rules. Additionally, the certificate provides traceability across the entire supply chain from feedstock to end product for partners. Furthermore, a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment validated the sustainability value or contribution of SABIC's certified renewable materials. From raw feedstock source to polymer production, each tonne of the company's bio-based PP and PE resin reduces CO₂ emissions by an average of 4 kg compared to fossil-based virgin alternatives, while simultaneously reducing fossil depletion by ratios of up to 80%. The study was conducted according to ISO 14040 and validated in a critical third-party review. "Fossil depletion and waste are among the greatest challenges facing our planet and require a fundamental transformation in the value chain of the plastic economy," explains Abdullah Al-Otaibi, General Manager of Market Solutions for Engineering Thermoplastics and Petrochemicals at SABIC. "Our vision is that plastics are sourced sustainably and never end up in the environment. With our TRUCIRCLE initiative, we have positioned ourselves at the forefront of this pursuit and are helping converters, designers and brand owners collaborate and gain a sustainable advantage by using high-quality recycled, circular or renewable polymer materials." SABIC's comprehensive TRUCIRCLE offering consists of design for recyclability services, mechanically recycled materials, certified circular products from chemical recycling of used plastics, and certified renewable polymers from bio-based feedstocks. More information is available at https://www.sabic.com/en/sustainability/circular-economy/trucircle-portfolio-and-services. SABIC's certified renewable polymers played a key role in the development of a new generation of more sustainable coffee capsules for use in Delica's Delizio coffee capsule machine system. (Photo: Delica AG)