LG CHEM is attempting changes focused on core materials and products that apply eco-friendly future technologies. Representative products include eco-friendly plastic materials such as recycled and bio-based raw materials, as well as transparent control films for vehicle sunroofs and plastic components that substitute metal in automotive exteriors.
According to industry sources on the 30th, LG CHEM is actively expanding the production of BCB (Bio-Circular Balanced) products utilizing bio-based materials such as waste cooking oil and plant by-products. This is to contribute to greenhouse gas reduction.
It has also signed a contract to establish a next-generation bio-oil joint venture plant with Italy's largest oil company, ENI. The goal is to complete an HVO production plant at the LG CHEM Daesan business site, the largest in Korea, with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons by 2026.
HVO is a next-generation bio-oil produced by adding hydrogen to plant-based raw materials like waste cooking oil without fossil-based fuels. It can also be used as a raw material for eco-friendly plastic products such as super absorbent polymer (SAP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
LG CHEM is also accelerating the establishment of chemical recycling plants and technology development. It has built the country's first pyrolysis oil plant in Chungnam Dangjin with an annual capacity of 20,000 tons. This plant is expected to have industry-leading productivity, capable of producing over 8 tons of pyrolysis oil from 10 tons of vinyl and plastic input.
Pyrolysis oil is a type of regenerated crude oil obtained by decomposing waste vinyl or plastic in an anaerobic state at high temperatures of 300-500 degrees. It is a method that reduces waste while simultaneously obtaining usable resources.
LG CHEM unveiled the world's first cosmetic container using carbon dioxide plastic PEC (polyethylene carbonate). It has also entered the market for sunroof films that control transparency according to voltage.
It has also replaced vehicle metal with electrostatic spray plastic. LG CHEM's electrostatic spray plastic can be applied to exterior components desired by automotive parts customers, including front fenders, bumpers, side mirrors, trunks, and fuel fillers.