2023. 11. 03
Welcome to LETZero Encyclopedia, an introductory series to LG Chem’s eco-friendly brand, LETZero, and their products. The previous episode addressed PCR PE, a material obtained by recycling PE, one of the commodity plastics. Today’s spotlight goes to Bio-Circular Balanced PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), which contributes to carbon reduction by replacing raw materials partly with renewable bio raw materials.
PVC is widely used in daily necessities to building materials! What if PVC met with LG Chem’s biomass balance technology to be reborn as an eco-friendly material? Let’s take a look at its features and applications.
“PVC mat, PVC cover, PVC bag, etc….” You’ve often heard of the word ‘PVC’ in your daily life. Also called polyvinyl chloride or polyvinyl chloride resin, PVC is a typical thermoplastic whose solidity and durability vary upon the type of additive blended during the process. This unique feature allows PVC to be applied to various fields, ranging from daily necessities to building materials and electronics.
Bio-Circular Balanced PVC is a material made by replacing the raw materials in traditional PVC production partly with renewable vegetable raw materials, using biomass balance technology. Instead of fossil fuels, it utilizes waste cooking oil and plant byproducts to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and contribute to carbon reduction. All of LG Chem’s Bio-Circular Balanced products, including Bio-Circular Balanced PVC, are produced at existing petrochemical infrastructure. Furthermore, they can be produced at eco-friendly plants, using waterpower and solar power, etc.
The process of making Bio-Circular Balanced PVC is simple. First, bio raw materials such as waste cooking oil and plant byproducts are blended with fossil fuels at a certain ratio to create naphtha/bio diesel. The outcome is sent to the existing production infrastructure or eco-friendly plants (waterpower, solar power, etc.) to produce the final Bio-Circular Balanced PVC.
LG Chem’s Bio-Circular Balanced PVC boasts excellent durability, corrosion resistance, chemical resistance, and flame retarding. Its quality and physical properties are equivalent to virgin materials. Moreover, LG Chem acquired the international ISCC Plus certificate, which certifies sustainability of an eco-friendly product across its process, including the raw material, production, purchase, and sales.
Meanwhile in 2022, LG Chem signed an MOU with LX Houses, a manufacturer of building materials, automotive material parts, and high-functioning materials, for co-development of PVC recycling technology and business of PVC which utilizes bio raw materials. The two partners are spurring their efforts to expand the Bio-Circular Balanced PVC business, and using their recycling technology, extract high purity PVC from waste building materials to apply to and commercialize PCR PVC products.
Bio-Circular Balanced PVC can be applied to wherever the virgin material is used in. It is often found in wire clothing, pipes, synthetic leather, calendars, and building materials such as wallpapers. Also, it is used in everyday items such as LPs, rain boots, rain coats, rafting boats, gym balls, play mats, and artificial trees.
So far, we looked at what Bio-Circular Balanced PVC is and where it is used. The next LETZero Encyclopedia will come back with the story of Bio-Circular Balanced NBL.
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