LG Chem Ltd. is poised to kick off a project that produces biodiesel using waste cooking oil as part of its drive for renewable materials.

According to industry sources on Tuesday, the South Korean chemical company plans to secure an agreement with a global supplier of waste cooking oil to ensure a stable and long-term supply of the biobased material as part of its project to use the material in the production of biobased aircraft fuels.

In addition to secondary batteries and novel medicines, LG Chem’s emphasis on renewable materials has become profound, with waste cooking oil playing a crucial role in producing such materials.

LG Chem has signed a strategic partnership with Neste to produce eco-friendly materials made from plant-based raw ingredients such as waste cooking oil since November 2020. Neste, based in Finland, is the world’s largest biodiesel manufacturer. Under the partnership, LG Chem will obtain bioingredients from the Finnish company to manufacture bioplastic products, including Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), the primary material for home appliances and toys, and Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) for diapers and Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) for flooring.

In addition, the Korean chemical company signed a contract with Jordan’s Baby Life to supply SAP for baby diapers in August 2021, the company’s first export of renewable products made of bioingredients. To date, LG Chem has ramped up its efforts to enter into new markets, with the launches of more than 50 products featuring international sustainable material certifications.

It has recently supplied California toy company Mattel with ABS based on vegetable feedstocks. Last October, it also began the sale of its eco-friendly PVC to 50 countries following a memorandum of understanding signed with NOX Corp, a Korean flooring producer.

By obtaining the sustainable resource of waste cooking oil, LG Chem aims to produce diesel aviation fuel, which will subsequently be supplied to airlines for their operations.

By Seo Jin-woo and Han Yubin

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