Neste and Eppendorf forge partnership for developing new line of renewable lab plastics

Neste has announced that it has joined forces with Eppendorf, a leading manufacturer and supplier of laboratory equipment, to “advance the development of lab products made with renewable raw materials.”

The company stated that this new strategic partnership has made it possible to create a new line of renewable plastic lab consumables: Eppendorf Consumables BioBased. The consumables (like tubes, for example) are manufactured using Neste RE, a feedstock produced from 100-per-cent renewable raw materials (like used cooking oil, for example).

“The consumables, thereby, represent a sustainable choice for labs seeking to reduce their carbon footprint by replacing fossil crude oil in the value chain. The launch of the first products of the new line will significantly contribute to the life science industry’s transition towards a more sustainable future,” Neste stated, adding that Eppendorf’s BioBased products “perform exactly as their renowned fossil oil based plastic consumables, meeting the rigorous specifications required for scientific experiments.”

The portfolio of products under this new partnership includes Eppendorf Tubes with screw caps plus epT.I.P.S. BioBased filter pipette tips, made of certified polypropylene based upon renewable raw materials. Neste’s renewable Neste RE feedstock is used to manufacture the Eppendorf Tubes, while the screw caps and pipette tips are made in cooperation with other suppliers. Neste stated that “a mass balancing approach is applied to allocate the renewable content to the products.”

Neste stated that in addition to renewables, the two companies will also evaluate options to leverage chemical recycling to both recycle Eppendorf’s lab consumables and enable recycled content in the consumables’ production.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with Neste to bring renewable plastics into the lab,” stated Brigitte Klose, global marketing manager for consumables at Eppendorf. “At Eppendorf, we are committed to supporting our customers in their efforts to become more sustainable, and by combining our expertise with Neste’s, we have been able to deliver high-performance sustainable plastic consumables that can help the scientific community to reduce its carbon footprint. This collaboration with Neste is another substantial step forward in our strive towards sustainability, and we look forward to continuing pioneering together in the development of renewable alternatives.”

“Laboratory applications come with high quality requirements for the materials used,” stated Maria Carcolé, head of brand owner management at Neste Renewable Polymers and Chemicals. “The cooperation with Eppendorf shows that despite these requirements, a transition to more sustainable materials is already possible. It just takes will and cooperation to get there.”

Source: Neste Corporation.