When it comes to developments and trends in polyolefins, the recent FlexPO conference held in Shanghai from 22 to 24 October revealed that China's propensity to significantly increase production of polymers using coal and natural gas appears to be here to stay. The decision to move away from raw materials of petrochemical origin and shift towards using the country's natural resources comes from a dependency on foreign supplies for polymers like polypropylene and polyethylene, primarily from the Middle East, that China can no longer sustain. Growth in domestic demand for these materials has, in fact, led to serious consideration of the decision to use coal and natural gas stocks for polymer production.
According to forecasts by industry operators, primarily producers of raw materials, this change will drastically alter the structure of China's polymer supplies over the next few years, with ultimately up to 80% of PE and 64% of PP coming from coal and natural gas. The environmental aspect of the matter has been set to the side, though it should not be overlooked given the impact of using natural gas and coal. According to comments made during the conference, the problem needs to be addressed at some point, after having reduced dependency on foreign suppliers of oil-based polymer, which should now be considered a priority.
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