ProdTek's New Turf Cushion™ Enhances Sustainability and Performance with Braskem's I'm Green™ Polyethylene Biopolymer

PHILADELPHIA and  DALTON, Ga., Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Braskem (B3: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; LATIBEX: XBRK; OTC: BRKMY), the largest thermoplastics polyolefins producer in the Americas and leading producer of biopolymers in the world, and ProdTek, a product development and manufacturing company serving the artificial turf, flooring and textile industries with innovative solutions, today announced the integration of Braskem's I'm green^TM Polyethylene (PE) bioplastic in ProdTek's new Turf Cushion^TM line of turf underlay products.

ProdTek's revolutionary new Turf Cushion™ is installed under artificial turf for a wide range of applications including play grounds, play areas, sports fields, roof tops, indoor play areas and other areas where shock attenuation is critical for users. The Turf Cushion™ underlay is composed of recycled polyethylene and Eco Raw™, which utilizes Braskem's I'm Green^TM Polyethylene bioplastic, a sustainably-produced sugar cane based polyethylene, and qualifies for High Recycled Content (HRC) status. In utilizing Braskem's I'm green ^TM Polyethylene as a renewable alternative to petroleum based polyethylene, ProdTek's Turf Cushion^TM can make a significant contribution to reducing the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the product value creation chain.

Most injuries to children on playgrounds occur from falls on hard or abrasive surfaces. ProdTek's new Turf Cushion™ underlay achieves the highest safety performance in the industry as measured by GMAX and Head Injury Criteria (HIC) readings using only one 2 inch Turf Cushion^TM Pad.

John Karr, President at ProdTek, stated, "We feel very good about our new Turf Cushion^TM Pad. Not only is it carbon neutral and 100% recyclable, it provides enhanced safety for children in playground environments and is economically advantageous for turf installation companies. We feel like we have a product that creates value for everyone and serves society as well."

ProdTek's new Turf Cushion^TM underlayment offers customers a range of product lifecycle benefits including installation crews reporting up to a 25% reduction in installation time. At the end of its life, Turf Cushion™ is also 100% recyclable and can be reclaimed and turned into pellets for making a variety of products, including toys, containers and more.

José Augusto Viveiro, Sales Leader Americas for Braskem's Renewable Chemicals, commented, "Braskem is proud to be partnering with ProdTek to enhance the sustainability of Turf Cushion^TM with our I'm green^TM Polyethylene biopolymer. Our partnership reflects our shared vision for innovation in sustainable materials to drive better products for consumers and the planet. Additionally, ProdTek's USDA BioPreferred status is a further testament to their commitment to environmental stewardship and increasing the use of renewable agricultural resources."

Cultivation of sugarcane utilized in the production of I'm green^TM Polyethylene captures carbon dioxide (CO²) and releases oxygen (O²), which means Braskem's bioplastic has a negative carbon footprint. From a cradle-to-gate life-cycle perspective, every 1kg of I'm green^TM Polyethylene used in the production process equates to 3.09 kg of CO² captured from the atmosphere.  I'm green^TM Polyethylene is part of Braskem's broader commitment to a more circular economy as well as more sustainable solutions for society as a whole.

Kate Lewis, Senior Program Analyst at U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) BioPreferred^® Program said, "The BioPreferred Program is dedicated to supporting rural communities and helping promote a thriving bioeconomy. Partners like Braskem that consistently innovate and find ways to incorporate renewable biobased materials – like sugarcane – into their products are critical. ProdTek's Turf Cushion^TM product was certified by the program because is formulated with Braskem's biobased content.  That is quite an achievement.  The benefits of this product not only help all the children who will be on sports fields and playgrounds, but rural communities as well."

Braskem and ProdTek are members of USDA's BioPreferred Program, which works to increase the development, use, and purchase of biobased products through a Federal procurement program and a voluntary certification and labeling program. From the farm gate through the manufacturing process, the growing market for biobased products increases the use of agricultural resources and creates jobs and economic growth throughout rural America.

To learn more about I'm green^TM Polyethylene and Turf Cushion^TM visit Braskem at the Natural Products Expo East #6403 being held from September 11-14, 2019 at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

ABOUT PRODTEK

ProdTek is a product development and manufacturing company that specializes in the development of innovative products for the artificial turf, flooring and textile industries. For the past 25 years, ProdTek has developed hundreds of products with global distribution. Our industry partners present us with challenges and we apply our experience and scientific knowledge to create solutions that support their goals. Once complete, we design manufacturing processes and logistics to satisfy their demand. ProdTek headquarters is located in Dalton, Georgia.

For more information about ProdTek's Turf Cushion^TM please visit:  www.turfcushion.com

ABOUT THE USDA BIOPREFERRED® PROGRAM

Managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the goal of the BioPreferred Program is to support rural communities and promote a thriving bioeconomy through the increased development, use, and purchase of biobased products. Created by a statute and reauthorized in the 2018 Farm Bill, the BioPreferred Program has identified 15,000 biobased products; and certified approximately 3,500 as meeting minimum levels of biobased content and being eligible to display the USDA Certified Biobased Product label. Through its efforts, the BioPreferred Program helps to spur economic development, provide new markets for farm commodities, and create new jobs. For more information about USDA's BioPreferred program please visit: www.biopreferred.gov/BioPreferred

ABOUT BRASKEM

With a human-oriented global vision of the future, Braskem strives every day to improve people's lives by creating sustainable solutions with chemicals and plastics. Braskem is the largest producer of thermoplastic polyolefins in the Americas and the leading producer of biopolymers in the world, creating more environmentally-friendly, intelligent and sustainable solutions through chemicals and plastics. Braskem exports to clients in approximately 100 countries and operates 41 industrial units, which are located in Brazil, United States, Germany and Mexico, the latter in partnership with the Mexican company Idesa. For more information, visit www.braskem.com.

Braskem America is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Braskem S.A. headquartered in Philadelphia. The company is the leading producer of polypropylene in the United States, with six production plants located in Texas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, an Innovation and Technology Center in Pittsburgh, and a new operation in Boston focused on leveraging groundbreaking developments in biotechnology and advanced materials. For more information, visit www.braskem.com/usa. 

For more information about Braskem's I'm Green^TM Polyethylene (PE) bioplastic please visit: http://plasticoverde.braskem.com.br/site.aspx/plastic-green

ABOUT BLUEVISION

Bluevision was created to represent actions and initiatives that focus on sustainability and which bring a positive impact to the planet and people's lives. It is a platform that shows the capacity of the human being to actively influence the course of the planet through their actions and everyday lives. Through facts, stories and curiosities, Bluevision connects people who are seeking innovative and society-oriented solutions that use resources in an intelligent way. For more information about Bluevision please visit: www.bluevisionbraskem.com 

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SOURCE Braskem

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