Bio-based polyethylene and MEG: Production
One Brazilian plant makes nearly the whole world's supply
One Brazilian plant makes nearly the whole world's supply What this tab covers Who makes it and how much: world capacity and output, utilisation, the top producing countries and companies globally and in India, concentration, new capacity coming, and each region's position.| Measure | Figure | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| World capacity | 260 kt/yr bio-ethylene at Braskem Triunfo (from June 2023) | Braskem via Business Wire, Jul 2023 | |
| World output | 191 kt of green PE sold in 2024 (up 23%; Q4 2024 57 kt); over 1.2 Mt made 2010-2023 | S&P Global Commodity Insights, Feb 2025 (Braskem results); Braskem 2023 | |
| Capacity utilisation | not published | Bioplastics as a whole ran at 72% in 2025 (European Bioplastics). | European Bioplastics 2025 |
| Concentration | Braskem is effectively the only dedicated bio-PE producer at scale | Mass-balance products from European and Middle Eastern producers add bio-attributed volumes that are not separately reported. | Braskem 2023; indicative |
| New capacity | Braskem-SCG Thailand 200 kt (MoU, not confirmed); European bio-PE and bio-PP additions | Braskem's 1 Mt biopolymer target for 2030 needs several more plants; none has been confirmed in sources reached. | Bloomberg Linea 2023; European Bioplastics 2025 |
Top producing countries
- Brazil: Braskem Triunfo 260 kt/yr bio-ethylene; nearly all dedicated bio-PE
- Thailand: Braskem-SCG MoU for 200 kt/yr; FID not confirmed in sources reached
- Europe: mass-balance bio-PE and growth in bio-PE and bio-PP capacity
- India: bio-MEG at India Glycols, Kashipur; no bio-PE
- Germany: UPM Leuna bio-MEG (indicative)
Largest producers: global
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braskem (I'm green) $87 million expansion from 200 kt; 191 kt green PE sold in 2024 (S&P Global); target 1 Mt biopolymers by 2030 | Brazil | 260 kt/yr bio-ethylene capacity | 2023 | Braskem via Business Wire, Jul 2023 |
| SCG Chemicals (with Braskem) Braskem's FY2025 20-F still describes a Thailand project to add 200 kt of green ethylene; no investment decision found | Thailand | 200 kt/yr planned (MoU) | 2023 | Bloomberg Linea, Jul 2023; Braskem Form 20-F FY2025 |
| Borealis (Bornewables) ISCC PLUS certified; volumes not published | Austria | not published | n/a | indicative |
| SABIC (TRUCIRCLE bio-based) volumes not published | Saudi Arabia | not published | n/a | indicative |
| LyondellBasell (CirculenRenew) uses renewable feedstock such as Neste bio-naphtha (indicative); volumes not published | Netherlands/US | not published | n/a | indicative |
| Dow volumes not published | US | not published | n/a | indicative |
| UPM Leuna biorefinery, delayed (indicative) | Finland/Germany | not published | n/a | MEG tile; indicative |
Largest producers: India
| Company | Country | Volume | Year | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| India Glycols Kashipur; supplies bio-MEG for partly bio-based PET; capacity not verified | India | not published | n/a | MEG tile |
| No bio-PE producer Reliance, IOCL, GAIL and HPCL make fossil PE only (indicative) | India | not published | n/a | not found in sources reached |
India has no bio-PE plant. It does have bio-MEG experience (India Glycols) and an ethanol surplus of about 8-9 billion litres a year against 11-12 billion litres taken for E20 blending (S&P Global, Jun 2026), which could feed ethanol-to-ethylene units.
Position by region
| Region | Position |
|---|---|
| US | Buyer of bio-PE for packaging; no dedicated production (indicative). |
| EU | Mass-balance bio-PE growth; bio-based content counted in some packaging targets (indicative). |
| India | No production; ethanol surplus and sugar mills are natural feedstock base. |
| China | No significant bio-PE found; large fossil and coal-to-olefins PE. |
| Japan | Buyer of bio-PE for packaging (indicative). |
| Middle East | Ethane-based fossil PE sets the low-cost benchmark bio-PE has to compete with. |