Twelve and LanzaTech partner to produce the world’s first polypropylene from CO2

Carbon transformation company Twelve and biotechnology company LanzaTech  have partnered to transform CO₂ emissions into polypropylene, a key polymer used for medical devices including syringes and IV bags, as well as for large-scale applications in automotive, furniture, textiles and other everyday products. 

Twelve’s carbon transformation technology converts CO₂ into materials that are traditionally made from fossil fuels. The company helps brands eliminate emissions by replacing the petrochemicals in their products and supply chains with CO2Made^® carbon negative chemicals and materials, as well as carbon neutral fuels. 

LanzaTech’s carbon recycling Pollution To Products™ technology uses nature-based solutions to produce ethanol and other materials from waste carbon sources. The partnership will bring together the two platform technologies to enable additional product development from CO₂ streams, representing just one of many pathways to scale carbon transformation solutions.

“Polypropylene is a key material for essential medical supplies and for many products we rely on in our daily lives. Today, 100 percent of new polypropylene in use worldwide is made from petrochemicals. We now have a way to produce this critical material from CO₂ and water instead of from fossil fuels, with no tradeoffs in quality, efficacy or performance. Replacing all of the world’s fossil polypropylene production with CO2Made polypropylene would reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 700 million tons per year or more,” said Twelve Chief Science Officer, Dr. Etosha Cave.

“By harnessing biology, we can leverage the power of nature to solve a very modern problem. The overabundance of CO₂ in our atmosphere has pushed our planet into a state of emergency. We need all carbon transformation solutions to turn this liability into an opportunity, keeping fossil resources in the ground, and our climate safe for everyone,” said LanzaTech CEO, Dr. Jennifer Holmgren. 

To pursue the partnership, Twelve and LanzaTech have been awarded a $200,000 grant from Impact Squared, a $1.1 million fund that was designed and launched by British universal bank Barclays and Unreasonable, a catalytic platform for entrepreneurs tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges. With the Impact Squared grant, Twelve and LanzaTech are taking a collaborative approach to reducing the fossil fuel impact of essential products.