Neste, Mitsui Chemicals, and Prime Polymer, a subsidiary of Mitsui Chemicals, have joined forces to introduce more sustainable food packaging solutions for CO-OP, the brand of the Japanese Consumers Co-operative Union (JCCU). The collaboration focuses on replacing fossil-based raw materials with bio-based ones in the production of packaging materials.
Its first iteration will begin with a focus on a seaweed snack, with intentions to expand bio-based raw materials in packaging for further products. “Change begins with small things. In this case, it’s slices of dried seaweed,” said Lilyana Budyanto from Neste’s Renewable Polymers and Chemicals business unit.
“However, the impact of renewable plastics packaging isn’t small at all. It’s a crucial contributor to the sustainability transformation of the plastics industry and reducing emissions along the value chain. We are looking forward to the cooperation with Mitsui Chemicals, Prime Polymer and JCCU evolving.”
The packaging made with renewable materials maintains the same quality and performance as its fossil-based predecessors. The significant difference lies in the reduced carbon footprint and the replacement of fossil materials in production. According to the company, this approach not only enhances sustainability but also aligns with the growing global demand for environmentally responsible packaging solutions.
A mass balancing approach is used to allocate the renewable material to the plastic packaging, ensuring that the use of sustainable materials is accurately reflected. Notably, the seaweed snack packaging is the first to be made with renewable plastics via mass balancing and has received the Japanese Eco Mark certification.
Neste: Maintaining quality with reduced carbon footprint
Neste, renowned for its renewable products, supplies Neste RE, a feedstock for polymers made entirely from bio-based raw materials. This feedstock is then processed by Mitsui Chemicals and Prime Polymer into renewable polypropylene under the brand name Prasus, which is used to create the food packaging for JCCU.
“Change begins with small things. In this case, it’s slices of dried seaweed.”
As a leading producer in the sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel sector, Neste also focuses on developing renewable and circular feedstock solutions for polymers and chemicals. The company aims to support its customers in reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030.
Founded in 1912, Mitsui Chemicals initially produced chemical fertilizer raw materials from coal gas byproducts in Japan, later transitioning to gas chemicals and establishing the country’s first petrochemical complex in 1958. Today, the company operates over 160 subsidiaries in 30 countries, with a business portfolio that includes sectors like Life and Healthcare, Mobility, ICT, and Basic and Green Materials.
