THE WHAT? Unilever, P&G, Reckitt and BASF are among a number of industry giants who are embarking on the first cross-sector collaboration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Flue2Chem, as the initiative has been dubbed, will work to convert industrial waste gasses in the UK to create more sustainable chemicals for consumer products, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.  

THE DETAILS Some 15 organisations have secured £2.68 million in funding from Innovate UK for the two-year project to help the UK cut 15 to 20 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year.

“The new business model will aim to reduce the need for imported fossil fuel material,” said David Bott, SCI’s Head of Innovation. “Instead, the consortium will build a new, more sustainable supply chain whilst also mitigating waste emissions. The group will develop methods for using carbon captured from waste streams of other industries and transform them into affordable raw materials for consumer products.”THE WHY? Project lead Ian Howell, Unilever’s Home Care Science & Technology R&D Director and Chair of SCI’s SMCP Group explained, “This is a game-changing opportunity to accelerate action and rewire the chemicals value chain to be less reliant on fossil fuels. It’s a bold ambition and one that, at Unilever, we have been publicly calling for action over the last two years. No single company can do this alone and so to have the power of 15 manufacturers and academics marks a significant step forward not only for the UK, but globally too.”