By Abbas Nazil
In a major breakthrough for the plastics and energy industries, Finnish scientists have developed a method to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from the forest industry into renewable raw materials for plastic production.
The three-year Forest CUMP research project, involving VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and LUT University, has demonstrated a promising path to manufacture polypropylene and polyethylene—two of the most common plastics—using captured biogenic CO₂ instead of fossil-based feedstocks.
The innovation focuses on using carbon dioxide released during waste incineration in forest-based facilities, turning it into usable hydrocarbons through a process compatible with existing petrochemical infrastructure.
These hydrocarbons, derived from renewable sources, can then serve as feedstock for the production of everyday plastic items without the need for significant changes to current industrial systems.
According to Juha Lehtonen, research professor at VTT, the goal was to adapt renewable CO₂ conversion technologies to fit into present-day petrochemical plants.
This approach could enable rapid, large-scale replacement of fossil-based feedstocks with renewable alternatives.
The research centered on integrating the low-temperature Fischer-Tropsch process with current production systems, proving it to be both technically feasible and economically viable.
The process yields Fischer-Tropsch naphtha, which can be directly used in existing petrochemical operations without extensive additional investments.
Lehtonen highlighted that other routes, such as methanol synthesis or high-temperature Fischer-Tropsch processes, would require new production facilities and greater capital investment.
The Nordic region, particularly Finland, stands out as an ideal location for such an innovation due to its abundant, centralized sources of bio-based CO₂ from the forest industry.
This concentrated availability of renewable carbon feedstock is rare in Europe, providing Finland with a strategic advantage in developing sustainable industrial value chains.
Kaija Pehu-Lehtonen, project manager at Metsä Group, emphasized that capturing wood-based CO₂ not only offers environmental benefits but also opens new avenues for industrial development in Finland.
Moreover, the country’s robust energy and hydrogen infrastructure, bolstered by renewable electricity generation, positions it well to support the transition to low-carbon plastic production.
The study estimates that converting 10 million tons of biogenic CO₂ would require approximately 60 terawatt-hours (TWh) of renewable electricity—about 70 percent of Finland’s annual consumption.
With the potential to process up to 30 million tons of CO₂, Finland could support industrial-scale production of renewable plastic materials, making it a global leader in green chemistry.
Instead of focusing on fuel production, the Forest CUMP project prioritized the use of captured bio-based CO₂ for durable polymer products, laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and circular plastics economy.