Israeli startup UBQ has reached a deal with Bazan Group’s petrochemicals subsidiary Carmel Olefins Ltd. to supply their patented "UBQ Material" – a solution that converts waste into a climate-positive thermoplastic – into their raw materials supply chain.
UBQ’s eponymously-named, patented and innovative new material is a resin that serves as a crucial component for manufacturing plastic. Typical plastic resins are made from oil, which produces a large carbon footprint, while the UBQ solution is made entirely of household waste. The Israeli company hopes its signature polymer blend is the “green” solution the plastics industry has been waiting for.
Carmel Olefins is Israel’s only manufacturer of petrochemical products that are used as raw materials in plastics, meaning Israeli-made plastics may be among the first to be produced with the full-recycled material. Bazan Group, Israel’s largest oil refining corporation outlined the group’s new sustainability strategy last July, pledging to implement renewable material in 15% of its production by the year 2025 and 30% by 2030.
“Bazan supplies the global polypropylene market with more than 500,000 tons of polypropylene per year, and integrating UBQ will enhance our resins’ environmental profile, driving the industry’s transition to greener initiatives,” a Bazan Group director said. “This agreement is another step towards implementing our new sustainability strategy,” added CEO Malachi Alper.
Plastics are among the most ubiquitously used products in the world, and plastic waste is among the most harmful. Plastic takes hundreds of years to biodegrade and cannot be composted, leading to plastic being dumped into the ocean and landfills, harming natural life. “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” a collection of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean, covers an area of approximately 1.6 million sq. km. – three times the size of France.
A study by the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies showed that Israel has the highest rate of landfilling among OECD countries, producing nearly 30% more waste (675 kg.) per capita annually than the OECD average.
Asaf Almagor, VP – Director, Polyolefin Business Unit at Bazan Group, hopes their work in sustainable plastics manufacturing will make its way into the resins supply chain long-term. “We can now support our clients’ SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) by delivering polymers infused with a competitive material that offsets climate emissions and diverts waste from landfills,” he said.