# Bio-based polyethylene and MEG: Production

One Brazilian plant makes nearly the whole world's supply

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/production/

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)
 Braskem 2023; Bloomberg Linea, Jul 2023; European Bioplastics 2025; MEG tile; indicative; MEG tile

#### 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](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230724353609/en) |
| **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](https://bloomberglinea.com/english/brazils-braskem-touts-energy-transition-foresees-25-green-production-by-2030) |
| **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. |

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/routes/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/characteristics/index.md)
- [Emissions](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/emissions/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/bio_pe/links/index.md)