Dow embraces circular materials to achieve lower product carbon footprint

Company has pledged to help Thailand build a cleaner future for its petrochemical industry, writes Lamonphet Apisitniran

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Dow's post-consumer recycled resin under the REVOLOOP brand

As Dow takes steps to grow its chemical business, the US-based company is looking back to ensure it has left no or little carbon footprint behind.

Specialising in materials science, Dow makes full use of its know-how to develop eco-friendly materials to manufacture new products, aligning with its mission to build business sustainability.

“We have joined the global community to combat carbon dioxide in order to attain a low-carbon future,” said Ekkasit Lakkananithiphan, Executive Vice President of Dow JV Business, Dow Thailand.

Dow’s product portfolio is primarily composed of plastics and polymers that support high-growth markets such as flexible packaging, infrastructure, cars and consumer products.

When these products or their components are used and discarded, they become plastic waste, one of the major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

“We aim to reduce plastic waste through a comprehensive strategy that includes developing circular and renewable solutions, designing packaging to be reusable or recyclable, expanding plastic recycling through strategic partnerships, and incorporating post-consumer recycled [PCR] plastics into new materials,’ said Mr Ekkasit.

To reintegrate plastic waste into the value chain, Dow is focusing on a mechanical recycling method to produce PCR resins, he said.

Unlike advanced or chemical recycling, which uses modern technologies to break down used plastics into their original molecular building blocks, traditional mechanical recycling melts and reshapes plastics, which are sorted and cleaned after being separated from garbage.

The latter gives new life to plastic waste by converting it into high-quality resin suitable for manufacturing new products, thereby reducing reliance on virgin plastics.