During the 2018 G7 summit in Quebec, the Canadian Government championed the Ocean Plastic Charter, which articulates a number of goals to alleviate the environmental impact of plastic use. Among those include a minimum of 50% recycled content in plastic products, where applicable, by 2030 and the recovery of 100% of all plastics by 2040. Indeed, the Charter is not the only place where such commitments regarding plastic recycling can be found. The European Commission has also set a binding recycling target of 55% by 2030 for plastic packaging waste, which compared to 2014, corresponds to more than twice the amount of the total recycled material.
With all these targets in the horizon for the next 10 to 20 years, the question arises here is whether the current recycling technologies can give us all we need to meet our ambitions for managing the end-of-life plastic products. Of course, the recycling technology is one part of the solution, and other enabling factors, such as design for recyclability and collection systems, are essential as well. However, considering the limitation of the commonly-used recycling processes, it is deemed inevitable to establish new scalable technologies that can considerably increase the rate of plastic recycling.
Currently, the most common method for recycling plastic waste is through mechanical processes, which typically includes sorting, washing and grinding. The resulting ground recycled plastic can then be thermoformed into new plastic products. While being simple and easy to scale up, mechanical recycling only allows the reprocessing of the same material for a limited number of times. Since additives and contaminants are not removed and tend to accumulate, the physical and mechanical properties of the material degrades with each reprocessing cycle. Also, depending on the requirements of the final product, the recycled material cannot get the chance of being reused due to health and safety concerns.
Such drawbacks have encouraged the development of another path for processing plastic waste, known as chemical recycling. Through this approach, with the help of catalysts, heat, and/or pressure, a plastic type is converted into its starting material (monomers that can be repolymerized to yield virgin-like plastics), other raw chemicals, or fuels. Being capable of cleaning the waste at the molecular level, chemical recycling represent a valuable solution to produce high-quality plastic feedstock.
Despite their promise, most chemical recycling processes are not yet economically attractive. However, our commitment to building a circular economy which requires significant improvement in the end-of-life management of plastics has stimulated a great deal of interest and investment towards making the technology more economically and energetically favourable. One strategy is to combine mechanical and chemical recycling in a single facility where, for example, the residues of mechanical recycling could be refined by chemical processes.
The years to come are expected to see a growth in technology and value chain development with respect to chemical and depolymerization techniques. The adoption of this approach also calls for the introduction of new technical standards to facilitate the use of virgin-grade recycled polymer in the same applications of virgin polymers. Comparing mechanical and chemical recycling processes through the life cycle assessment methodology help determine which approach offers better environmental performance for specific plastic types. Next to the advancement in mechanical recycling and sorting techniques, these efforts can pave the road for meeting our plastic recycling goals in the next decades.
Originating from Barcelona, Laia’s educational journey led her to pursue secondary studies in the south of France. Her Bachelor’s degree in Economics and International Management allowed her to develop an analytical mindset. During her Master’s in International Business and Management, she engaged in numerous research study cases and actively participated in the creation of different business plans. This helped her develop an ability to critically analyze and address the strategic challenges that companies encounter.
Andre has over 5 years of industry experience in project management, polymer and composite processing, materials characterization, and product development. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil, and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Technology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, where he focused on Polymer and Composite materials. In 2012, he founded a design and manufacturing company specializing in biocomposites made with natural fibers, which he successfully sold in 2015.
As an expert in sustainability, life cycle assessment, circular economy, and green chemistry, Nicolas possesses valuable skills and knowledge that can assist companies in developing and implementing sustainable and environmentally-friendly business models. They can achieve this by utilizing eco-friendly materials, improving manufacturing processes, reducing waste and hazardous chemical use, and advocating for the use of safer and more sustainable alternatives.
Karan is an experienced professional who has worked in multiple geographies and roles along his career. He holds a total of 10+ years of experience in manufacturing operations, and has focused his efforts towards finding solutions for waste recovery and making recovery economical for industries. 
With several years of research experience in France and Canada, Fabien lends his expertise and passion for enzymology and microbiology to 5REDO’s sustainability innovation plans. 
With her significant hands-on experience in developing and characterizing biological and chemical systems, Vicky plays a key role in 5REDO’s efforts toward developing novel products and technologies that offer improved circularity and sustainability to the industry and society. 
As a recent graduate of chemical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Kyle brings his passion for impactful innovation and his experience with novel recycling processes to 5REDO to support our technology development initiatives. 
As our Senior Research Scientist, Hormoz draws on his eight years of industrial and nine years of academic research experience in the areas of polymer science and engineering to develop new solutions for advancing circularity and sustainability.
Shauna is a freelance journalist that covers a wide range of topics, including health, education, the environment, travel, lifestyle trends, and more. She holds a Master of Journalism from Carleton University, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Global Development from Queen’s University.
By leveraging her expertise in life cycle analysis and process engineering, Ophela helps 5REDO to take a holistic approach to the development of circular solutions and technologies. 
As the co-founder of 5REDO, Forough brings her expertise in supply chain management, business operations, inventory control, and revenue management to support the implementation of circular solutions within different industry sectors.
With a passion for driving change and creating impact, Mahdi co-founded 5REDO to promote circular economy principles in Canada. He’s an alumnus of the 2021 Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s ‘From Linear to Circular Programme.’ Mahdi played a pivotal role in developing and managing the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Circular Economy Seed Funding program, fostering partnerships between companies and academic researchers to co-create circular solutions.