RENEWABLE RAW
MATERIAL
Nomacorc has partnered with our bio LDPE supplier, Braskem, to answer many
commonly asked questions about the materials in our sugar-cane-derived
Select® Bio wine closure.
RENEWABLE RAW MATERIAL
How many tons of Braskem’s I'm green™ PE are produced per hectare of sugarcane? How
much of Brazil's arable land is required for production?
To produce 200,000 tons of Brakem’s I’m green™ PE, corresponding to the volume of total production
capacity, it takes appropriately 65,000 hectares of sugarcane, which represents approximately 0.02% of the
total arable land of Brazil. This calculation is done considering the average productivity of sugarcane
plantations and mills of ethanol production in Brazil. In one hectare, approximately 82.5 tons of sugarcane
is produced, which can produce 7,200 liters of ethanol. With this volume of ethanol, Braskem produces 3
tons of green ethylene, generating about 3 tons of Braskem’s I’m green™ PE.
How are areas for sugarcane cultivation selected? Where is it currently grown?
About 90%* of the sugarcane plantation used in Brazilian ethanol production is concentrated in the
South-Central region of Brazil, mainly in the states of São Paulo, Goiás, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul,
Paraná and Mato Grosso. The remaining 10% of sugarcane is mainly concentrated in the Northeast region
of Brazil. The South Central region is located more than 2,500 km away from the Amazon region. The
expansion of areas used to plant sugarcane is governed by Sugarcane Agroecological Zoning, approved in
September 2009, and excludes among other areas, the Amazon and Pantanal biomes. It's important to note
that Braskem does not own any sugarcane plantations. The ethanol used to make I'm green™ Polyethylene
is purchased from different suppliers that are selected accordingly with the Code of Conduct for Ethanol
Suppliers, which takes into account aspects related to compliance with Brazilian Law and respect for
biodiversity. *Source: Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA): http://unica.com.br/.
What is the Sugarcane Agroecological Zoning (ZAE Cana)?
The Sugarcane Agroecological Zoning is a study of the climate and soils of Brazil's various regions that
innovated by taking into account the environmental, economic and social aspects in order to coordinate the
sustainable expansion of sugarcane cultivation and of investments in the sector. The set of restrictions
related to the environment, economy, society, weather risks and soil conditions conducted by ZAE Cana
limit the expansion of sugarcane cultivation to 7.5% of Brazil's landmass (65.7 million hectares). The
proposal submitted by ZAE Cana was approved on September 17, 2009.
Is the use of pesticides and fungicides a regular practice on sugarcane plantations?
The main diseases that threaten the plants are treated using biological controls and genetic improvement
programs. This way, the use of pesticides on sugarcane plantations in Brazil is low and the use of
fungicides is practically nonexistent.
What is sugarcane bagasse?
Bagasse is a co-product of sugar and ethanol production. Rich in cellulose, bagasse is used to fuel boilers
and generate energy to replace the use of gas or other non-renewable energy source. This energy fuels the
plant itself that becomes self-sufficient in energy, and when there is surplus, it is sent to the local power
grid and sold to supply cities.
Why are burning practices held in the sugarcane cultivation? When is the deadline for this to
end?
The burning of sugarcane, which is performed before manual harvesting, aims to make the activity of
cutting sugarcane safer by burning its straw. However, the practice of burning causes serious impacts on
public health and on the environment. Eliminating the burning of sugarcane is necessary to implement a
system of mechanized harvesting. The deadline for the end of the burning is provided in Brazilian law.
Additionally, in 2007 the Protocolo Agroindustrial do Estado de São Paulo (Agroindustrial Protocol of the
State of São Paulo) was voluntarily launched, which set more restrictive targets than the law. The mills
signing this protocol commit to the anticipation of the deadlines to quit burning in legislation. In
mechanized areas, the term is from 2014 to 2021, while in areas considered non-mechanized by current
technology the deadline is 2017 to 2031. In 2009, over 95% of all ethanol produced in the state of São Paulo,
the largest Brazilian producer state, was produced in mills that signed the Protocol.
Is green plastic made using genetically modified sugarcane
Genetically modified sugarcane is not sold in Brazil. The CTNBio is a multidisciplinary group formed to
support Brazil's federal government in formulating, reviewing and implementing national policies related
to safety issues involving genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In its website
(http://www.ctnbio.gov.br/index.php) it is possible to research which types of GMOs are approved for
commercial cultivation in Brazil, which are currently restricted to cotton, corn and soybean only. All of the
ethanol consumed to make Brakem’s I'm green™ PE is cultivated in Brazil.
Does the growing consumption of sugarcane ethanol for I'm green™ Polyethylene production
have any impact on food production?
Today Brazil has 330 million* hectares of arable land, of which 52% is used for raising cattle, 26% remains
idle and 22% is used for agriculture. Only 1.4%* of all arable land in Brazil is dedicated to ethanol
production, and the consumption of ethanol for the production of Braskem’s I'm green™ PE represents
about 1.7% of the total production of ethanol, or 0.02% of Brazil's arable land. The existence of available
land, combined with a possible intensification of livestock production, makes Brazil a country with room
for expansion of agriculture. The use of land for the production of products other than food, even in a very
optimistic scenario for the growth of the production of chemicals from renewable sources, should continue
representing a small percentage of the total land available. Specifically in relation to the management of
land for the sugarcane production, in the state of São Paulo, where 60%* of the country's sugarcane is
planted, legumes are used to fix nitrogen in the soil during crop rotation. Hence 15% to 20% of sugarcane
producing areas are dedicated to the cultivation of soybean, beans and peanuts, supplying the food
market. For more details go to the website of the Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA) at
www.unica.com.br *Sources: IBGE, Conab and UNICA. Data compiled by ICONE and Unica.
Does sugarcane cultivation use rainwater or artificial irrigation methods?
Sugarcane in Brazil is practically not irrigated. Water needs, in the agricultural phase, are resolved
naturally by the rainfall of the producing regions, mainly the Center-South of Brazil, and is complemented
by the application of vinasse, a co-product of ethanol production that is rich in water and organic
nutrients, in a process called fertigation.
Is sugarcane cultivated in a socially responsible manner?
Sugarcane cultivation is conducted in accordance with Brazilian law and the rules and labor conditions
established by the International Labor Organization (ILO) that should be followed by all employers, which
are subject to regular inspections by the government. Braskem has a Code of Conduct for Ethanol
Suppliers that is part of the "National Commitment to Social Assistance" program, which ascribes new
rights to workers and ensures them a better quality of life.
What is Braskem's Code of Conduct for Ethanol Suppliers?
In order to reiterate its commitment to the principles of sustainable development and manage its
relationship with the Chain of Ethanol, Braskem developed the Code of Conduct for Ethanol Suppliers. Its
basic principle is continuous improvement and respect for the laws of Brazil inspired by best practices
outlined in the Environmental Protocol of the State of São Paulo, the Global Pact and the National
Commitment to Improve Working Conditions in Sugarcane. To become a supplier of Braskem, an ethanol
producer should observe the commitment to good business practices defined in this document regarding
cane burning, respect for biodiversity, environmental practices, human rights and labor and availability of
info to the life cycle analysis of the product. Braskem conducts audits at supplier plants to ensure
compliance with the practices described in the Code of Conduct for Ethanol Suppliers.
Brazilian Agro-ecological zoning policy
Brazil’s Agro-ecological zoning (AEZ) policy published in 2009 clearly identifies the types of land that can
be legally converted to sugarcane plantations, and mapped the permissible areas. The policy excludes
expansion in:
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Amazonia and Pantanal biomes
The hydrographical basin of the Paraguay River
Areas with any type of native vegetation
Areas without favorable soil and climate conditions
Areas that require full irrigation
Protected areas
Indigenous reserves
Areas with a high conservation value for biodiversity
In order to be authorized for sugarcane production, a new area has necessarily to be originate either from
direct conversion of pastureland (degraded, natural and cultivated) or else from another previous crop
(soybean, cotton, maize).
Code of conduct:
The code is based on 5 pillars: 1)Reduction of cane burning - Reduction of GHG
emissions and soil
preservation, 2)Conserving biodiversity – Protection of
Pantanal and upper Paraguay basin biomes, 3)Human & Labor Rights –
Prohibition of forced and/or child labor, respect internationally recognized
human rights, 4)Good Environmental Practices – Reduce air pollution,
preservation of soil, protection of water resources, less use of agrochemicals,
improvement of SHE practices and 5)Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) – provide the
necessary information to conduct a LCA . It has been developed in partnership
with UK based company called Proforest, an internationally recognized company
specialized in sustainable natural resource management systems. This makes the
Code a very robust and credible document, to which 100% of our suppliers have
committed. A third party audit program is in place to guarantee compliance.
http://www.braskem.com.br/site.aspx/Code-of-Conduct-for-Ethanol-Suppliers
Sugar cane harvesting
Signed in 2007, the agreement anticipated legal deadlines for the elimination of the practice of burning,
from 2021 to 2014 in the areas where it is possible to mechanized harvesting and 2031 to 2017 in areas
where there is no adequate technology for mechanization, with maximum slope of 12% ground. This is a
voluntary agreement, which had a membership of more than 170 agro-industrial units and 29 associations
of sugarcane producers, which together account for over 90% of São Paulo production.
In addition to the requirements of the end of burnings, factors such as the increase in labor cost and
agricultural production costs contributed to encourage mechanical harvesting of sugarcane. In 2005
mechanized harvesting in the center-south region of the country accounted for 34% to 42% in 2007 and
89% in 2013, as shown in Figure 4. Thus, the harvester fleet in 2007/08 was 1.28 thousand harvesters,
almost tripled to 3.4 thousand in the harvest 2013/2014.
Mechanized Harvesting
Hand Harvesting
Renewable Energy
Sugarcane bagasse, a waste product from the crushing process, is often used to generate electric power to
supply the entire ethanol production process, which makes it energy self-sufficient, while any surplus
power is sent to the grid, adding clean energy to Brazil's energy matrix.
Efficient use of resources and closed-loop in the re-use of the residues on the process, which is confirmed
by the LCA study where Braskem’s I’m Green™ PE absorbs 2,15 kg/CO2eq after deducting all the
emission in the whole process.
 During the sugarcane production, there are some residues of the process, but all of them are
recycled within the process such as:
o Vinnasse and filter cake – re-used as fertilizers/irrigation in the fields of sugarcane.
o Bagasse – is used to produce energy (that fulfills the needs of the sugar mills and also
share energy with the energy matrix)
 Irrigation of sugarcane fields is mainly due to the rain.
 Inside Braskem’s processes, we have water waste treatment that assures de decontamination and
conditioning of our efluents, which returns to the process to be re-used.
Use of degrade pasture land:
The Brazilian Age ecological zoning policy launched in 2009, defines as suitable for sugarcane expansion
areas with proper conditions for mechanical harvesting, degraded pasture land and regions with lower
need for artificial irrigation. When replacing degraded pasture land, sugarcane helps recover the soil and
consequently increase its carbon content.
Land use for the production of Braskem’s I’m Green™ PE
The Brazilian government has established a Zoning Program that determines the areas suitable for
sugarcane expansion in order to ensure that food production will not be compromised. Moreover, Brazil
has around 330MM hectars or arable land and only 8MM are used for sugarcane (2,4%). 111MM hectares
are still available for cultivation (33%).
Besides that, due to market conditions, 50% of the sugarcane available is used for ethanol production and
the other 50 % is necessarily used for sugar production (considered food). The use of land for Green PE is
around 68M hectares (0,02% of the available arable land in Brazil).
Distance to rainforest:
Almost 90% of sugarcane cultivation and harvesting in Brazil is concentrated in the county’s Center-South
region, which is located more than 2,000 km (1,200 miles) from the Amazon Region.
The other 10% are located in the Brazilian north-east.
The soil and climate in the Amazon Region is not suitable for sugarcane.
Sources:
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União da Indústria de Cana-de-açúcar (UNICA),
Braskem LCA Study (from cradle to gate)
Organização de Plantadores de Cana da Região Centro-Sul do Brasil (ORPLANA),
Centro Nacional das Indústrias do Setor Sucroenergético e Biocombustíveis (CEISE-BR),
Markestrat – Centro de Pesquisa e Projetos em Marketing e Estratégia.