Finland’s VTT Technical Research Centre and LUT University have concluded a three-year project exploring how carbon dioxide emissions from pulp mills could be captured and converted into raw materials for renewable plastics and e-fuels.
The Forest CUMP project focused on utilising biogenic CO2 from the forest industry and waste incineration, with a case study focused on UPM’s Kaukas pulp mill in Lappeenranta.
The aim was to assess the feasibility of using captured CO2 as a carbon source in producing key industrial products such as polypropylene and polyethylene.
Polyethylene is the world’s most widely used plastic, found in packaging, containers, films, and household products, while polypropylene is commonly used in packaging, automotive components, textiles and consumer goods.
According to Fortune Business Insights, the global polyethylene market was valued at over $106bn in 2022, while the polypropylene market was estimated at nearly $126bn
Finland’s pulp mills produce an estimated 21 million tonnes of biogenic CO2 each year
Finland’s forest industry is one of the country’s largest sources of biogenic CO2. Pulp mills alone produce an estimated 21 million tonnes of CO2 annually. While this is not considered fossil-derived, utilising these emissions could help displace fossil-based feedstocks in petrochemical supply chains.
The project included experimental work and system-level modelling, assessing different technologies for CO2 capture and conversion. One option explored was electrolysis to produce green hydrogen, which could then react with CO2 to produce hydrocarbon chains used as plastic precursors.
“Forest CUMP showed that it is possible to make renewable fuels and chemicals from pulp mill CO2. The project highlighted key development areas in capture and utilisation technologies, as well as policy incentives needed to support market entry,” said Senior Scientist Mikko Kuokkanen.
The findings will inform future research into commercial-scale CO2 utilisation in the Nordic pulp and paper sector.
