Outlook 2026: Plant-based additives to achieve regulatory compliance

    Mr. Kenneth Heng

    Sales Manager

    Bio-Speciality Additives

    Palsgaard

   Website: www.palsgaard.com/en/

Increased regulatory compliance for plastics on global and regional level aim at ending plastic pollution and promoting circular economy models. With recyclability playing a key role in the global drive toward plastic circularity, Palsgaard products, which we presented at K2025, are designed to be 100% bio-based and food-grade, ensuring they pose no harm to consumers or the environment during plastic recycling and reuse.

Einar® 987 is a new anti-fouling additive developed from renewable vegetable oils. Designed as a drop-in replacement for ethoxylated amines, Einar® 987 is food-contact approved, effective at low dosage levels (100–300 ppm), and delivers the same reactor efficiency and product quality while eliminating toxic legacies. It offers resin makers an alternative solution that aligns with anticipated changes in chemical safety requirements. With Einar® 987, it is a safer and more sustainable alternative to ethoxylated amines in the polyolefin polymerization process. This new additive enhances the safety profile of polypropylene (PP) resins, helping our resin producers customer meet the highest consumer safety standards and deliver greater peace of mind to end users in their target application, namely food packaging and/or medical devices where Palsgaard is also active in.

Alongside Einar® 987, Palsgaard’s portfolio of safe polymer additives include anti-static solutions such as Einar® 601 and Einar® 608 PL, which have been proven to reduce dust attraction, control static build-up, and improve processing efficiency across PE, PP, EVA, PLA, PA, and PVC applications. Anti-fog solutions such as Einar® 618 and Einar® 422 are designed to keep food packaging clear under hot and cold storage conditions, helping extend shelf life and reduce food waste. Together, these additives demonstrate how Palsgaard supports converters, resin producers, and brand owners in meeting performance, safety, and sustainability goals without compromise.

Palsgaard’s commitment to innovation builds on more than a century of heritage. Since inventing the world’s first plant-based emulsifier in 1917, the company has been guided by the values of responsibility, loyalty, and commitment. Today, with 850 employees across 20 countries and expanding production facilities in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Malaysia, Palsgaard remains a trusted partner in developing safer, more sustainable polymer solutions for global markets.

One of the challenges that can have an impact on the chemical industry is that  petrochemical industry is in financial crisis. Despite massive government subsidies a quarter of global ethylene capacity at risk of closure, analysts warn that oversupply, shrinking margins, and fierce competition are driving the industry into long-term decline.

In terms of our Asian operations, we intend to further strengthen our support for customers in the region as Palsgaard is planning to expand capacity and introduce new capabilities at our Malaysian factory within the next three years. This development will improve supply security and deliver added value in flexible packaging applications, particularly during periods of global trade disruption.

- This article also appears in the International Plastics News for Asia  December 2025 issue. To read the digital version, click here.