The Sirius Effect:

Going green used to mean compromise.  Whether it’s looks, feel, or function, there’s an implicit belief that you can either save the planet or have good things, but not both. Sirius’s 100%bio-based Ethoxybrite PEG puts that belief to rest. In fact, you can’t even tell the difference from its petrochemical predecessor. 

When Beyond Meat debuted its plant-based “meat”, one of the selling points was that it tasted so good because they “reverse-engineered” an actual piece of meat: they took the components of meat–the protein, fat, minerals and carbohydrates–and used identical plant-based versions.  The result, as they like to claim, is a food product that is indistinguishable from meat.

Sirius’s Ethoxybrite PEG may not be as tasty, but it is made using a similar principle: taking the building blocks of PEG  (poly-ethylene glycol) and using plant based versions. For Ethoxybrite PEG, the basis is molasses, which is a by-product of the sugarcane industry. Molasses can be made into bio-ethanol by fermentation.  Most of it ends up burned as fuel, but Sirius’s co-producer further converts the bio-ethanol to a high-end raw material, ethylene glycol, and from there makes PEG. Chemically, it is identical to products made from fossil fuels, so it can be used as a 1:1 replacement. As green products still have a reputation for lacking performance, this may make it easier to sell the “green” aspect as a bonus, instead of the main feature.

Environmentally, the use of waste materials contributes to the circular economy and lessens our impact on the planet. Sugar is sustainably produced; the waste products that can be fermented into ethanol are numerous. This would decrease our dependence on fossil fuels that much more. Sirius offers a wide range of PEG types, with molecular weights from 200 to 10,000 Da. Ethoxybrite PEG has a wide range of applications, such as seed coatings, paint additives, and cosmetics and as an emulsifier and lubricant.  

Switching to bio-based PEG can be a step in the right direction and the fact that it can be done should really make us ask ourselves: what more can we do? If you have any insights for new products, or want to find out more about Sirius’s or Ethoxybrite PEG other bio-based, sustainably-produced products, give us a call today. 

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