PetChem drives innovations in plastics circularity
28 Oct 2024
Petronas Chemicals Group Bhd has won the silver award in the industrial products and services category at The Edge Malaysia ESG Awards 2024.
One of the company’s most significant achievements over the past year is the progress made on the advanced chemical recycling plant in Pengerang, Johor. The plant, when operational, will transform end-of-life plastics into pyrolysis oil, which can be used as chemical feedstock for producing sustainable plastics, reducing the dependency on virgin materials.
“Guided by our New Plastics Economy framework, the construction of the advanced chemical recycling plant is part of our conscious effort to drive the transition from a linear to circular waste plastic management process,” says Mazuin Ismail, managing director and CEO of PetChem.
“We are also driving innovation across the plastics value chain in Malaysia, while creating opportunities for all parties through collaborations with different players, from waste collectors to manufacturers, to jointly contribute to the circular plastics economy.”
Despite its successes, PetChem has faced significant challenges in maintaining its ESG performance in the past year, particularly in the area of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
“The reduction of GHG emissions is a key priority for PetChem and its progress is guided by our Net Zero Carbon Emissions 2050 Pathway. Last year, our plant operations encountered reliability challenges that led to a rise in GHG emissions from flaring, which we have addressed through enhanced operational control processes and by implementing programmes to improve plant reliability,” says Mazuin.
Alongside these operational movements, PetChem continues to explore energy efficiency measures and low-carbon technologies within its assets. These efforts include a shift towards integrating more renewable energy into the mix, as well as improving energy efficiency across all operations.
“In 2023, we achieved an overall GHG emission reduction of more than 146,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent through flare reduction, efficiency improvement measures and purchase of renewable energy,” he says.
Source: The Edge Malaysia
