Cargill and Dow Will Build Renewable Plastics Plant

The carbohydrate economy is moving a little closer to reality with the announcement in January that Minneapolis-based Cargill Inc. and Dow Chemical are teaming up to build the first large-scale “renewable” plastics plant. Completion of the 140,000 metric-ton, $300 million plant in Blair, Nebraska is scheduled for late 2001. Natural plant sugars, such as corn syrup, will be processed into polylactide polymer using a technology called NatureWorks™. The 50:50 joint venture, Cargill Dow Polymers (CDP), will use the polylactide polymer as a raw material for manufacture of plastic cups, packaging, fabrics, emulsions, and foams. CDP currently manufactures roughly 4,000 metric tons of the polymer at a plant near Minneapolis.