The four-year SPIRIT programme led by Borealis concluded in December 2025, leaving behind a strong collaboration network and valuable results for the green transition of the plastics industry. Spinverse supported the programme through ecosystem facilitation and communications, helping partners connect, share insights and turn joint work into visible impact. The public final report gathers the key results and conclusions from SPIRIT’s four thematic areas.
A major achievement of SPIRIT was the ecosystem itself: 123 partners collaborated through 21 joint projects and many more participated in other ways. SPIRIT brought together the whole plastics industry and a variety of research organisations and key players from several value chains. Even though the programme has formally ended, several projects are still continue, extending the impact of the work further.
Below are just few examples of the highlights of the four SPIRIT R&D themes. Read more in the SPIRIT article and the final report (link at the end of this article).
Renewable feedstock
Borealis has advanced the integration of renewable raw materials into production, including e.g. a successful trial of synthetic e-naphtha at the Porvoo steam cracker. SPIRIT projects such as ForestCUMP and GreenAro have strengthened research on fossil-free and bio-based feedstocks, while several related projects are still ongoing.
Towards carbon-neutral plastics production
SPIRIT supported Borealis in exploring ways to reduce emissions across plastics production, from furnace electrification, switching to hydrogen and biofuels to carbon capture and methanol-to-olefins and carbon capture technologies. The programme created an important knowledge base for future climate-neutral production, while also supporting immediate improvements in existing operations improving energy efficiency.
Recycling plastics into high-value products
SPIRIT has aimed to strengthen the plastics circular economy through mechanical and chemical recycling, improve access to high-quality recycled plastics, maximise material circulation and reduce incineration while supporting EU recycling targets. Several joint projects within the programme have demonstrated new ways to sort, process and recycle plastic waste, while also highlighting the need for stronger market demand and supportive regulation to increase the use of recycled materials.
Product innovations for a circular plastics economy
The programme also supported work on regulation, certification, product design for recycling and market development for circular plastics. Borealis made significant progress in Borstar® Nextension PE and PP technologies, supporting the development of recyclable monomaterial solutions aligned with Design for Recycling requirements. In ecosystem projects with research institutes and several value chain partners, e.g. climate benefits of chemical recycling have been verified, the limits of recycled and bio-based materials in consumer products assessed, and the potential of mechanically recycled polypropylene for food-contact use on a small scale demonstrated.
Collaboration as the foundation
Beyond research and technology development, SPIRIT showed the value of ecosystem collaboration. Joint projects, different events and active communications created a shared platform for learning, exchange of viewpoints and building new initiatives, with Spinverse contributing especially to ecosystem facilitation and visibility throughout the programme journey.
SPIRIT programme manager Jaakko Tuomainen is looking back at the extensive work achieved within the SPIRIT ecosystem with gratitude and joy. He says: ”As all the way during the programme, we see high value in open communication, and publishing the final report to all ecosystem partners continues this journey. There is a huge amount of joint effort made behind this final report. It deserves to be shared with all of you who have contributed.”
Spinverse’s Principal Consultant Markku Heino
has been supporting the Borealis core team all the way from designing the programme
contents and securing funding from the Business Finland Veturi competition to building
the ecosystem and leading it together with the right spirit. He concludes: “Four
years is a short time for such an ambitious mission, but it is rewarding to see
that we have succeeded to make concrete steps towards sustainable plastics
industry. Collaboration with the highly dedicated team at Borealis and our
ecosystem partners has been excellent, which forms a good basis for future
initiatives as well. Thank you all!"
Read
a longer article including the final report on SPIRIT website here.
Main photo: Borealis
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Janne Kaukojärvi
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janne.kaukojärvi@spinverse.com
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