SIBUR keen on building circular economy

– What do Russia’s chemical industry leaders mean by sustainable development?

– SIBUR is guided by best global practices and the Sustainable Development Goals outlined in the UN 2030 Agenda. As an industrial company, we are primarily focused on the environmental aspects of sustainable development, including improving production efficiency and reducing environmental impact. On top of that, we pay significant attention to health initiatives and social projects across the regions of our operation.

We have seen SIBUR’s environmental impact index steadily decline over the past years from 4.2 in 2016 to 3.5 in 2018. In 2018 alone, the Company spent RUB 1.2 bn on dedicated environmental programmes. Along with reducing our environmental footprint, we have been working to increase the repeated use of waste (as feedstock, for example), its recycling and disposal, while also seeking to cut the overall waste generation.

– Today, sustainable development is primarily associated with the environment, and particularly the recycling of plastic waste. Why is this the case, in your opinion?

– The global population growth and rising rates of individual consumption inevitably result in increased environmental impact. This has been the major driver of the transition from linear economy with its high level of waste generation to circular economy.

At SIBUR, we are working to contribute to circular economy development. For it to evolve, building partnership between business, society and regulators is of paramount importance. The cooperation agreement on environmental development signed by SIBUR, Ministry of Natural Resources, and Russian Environmental Operator at the Eastern Economic Forum is one of the initiatives to this end. Under the agreement, we are starting preparatory work on an investment project to incorporate polyethylene terephthalate (PET) flakes from used packaging into the production process for primary PET at the Company’s POLIEF facility in the Republic of Bashkortostan. SIBUR's plan, if the project ends up being implemented, is to produce pellets containing primary and secondary polymers while increasing the total PET capacities.

– Developed countries are increasingly seeking to curb the use of certain plastic products, primarily in the retail industry. Is there a future for plastic?

– Globally, there are no feasible alternatives to plastic. Plastics are leaders among other basic materials in terms of energy efficiency and eco friendliness. With light weight, low thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, versatility, and adaptivity, plastic has the lowest СО₂ footprint.

Take water bottles, for example. Glass is a very heavy material and has high transport costs. It is made from non-renewable resources and requires an enormous amount of energy to heat it to 1,200°C.

Aluminium cans are almost always made from bauxite, the extraction of which has a negative impact on the environment. The production of aluminium also hurts the environment, as it requires tremendous water and energy resources.

On the other hand, PET containers are produced with two-thirds less emissions than aluminium cans and half as much as glass bottles. Plastic bottles can be tightly and safely packed. On top of that, their transportation is 20% more fuel efficient than that of glass, further reducing the amount of harmful emissions.