NOVA Chemicals Establishes New Recycled Polyethylene Business

(Credit: NOVA Chemicals)

NOVA Chemicals Corporation has announced the establishment of NOVA Circular Solutions, a new line of business focusing on lower-emission, recycled solutions. NOVA Circular Solutions will be home to the Syndigo brand, the company’s newest portfolio of recycled polyethylene (rPE). 

NOVA Circular Solutions is led by a team of experts in plastics development, recycling technology, additive science, packaging design, and regulatory compliance. It is headed by Alan Schrob, recycling director, who has nearly 30 years of experience in plastics, manufacturing, health, safety, and the environment.  

“Plastic products play a critical role in our daily lives, and industry and consumers are placing higher value on products that contribute to the circular economy. They want products that can be recycled, reused, and reimagined,” said John Thayer, NOVA Chemicals senior vice president of sales and marketing. “Today’s announcement underscores NOVA’s commitment to be a leader in sustainable polyethylene production. We are investing time, resources, and world-class technical knowledge into this new line of business and the Syndigo brand.”  

Syndigo rPE is designed to support recycled content and decarbonization goals of converters and brands while setting new industry standards for driving the transition towards a circular economy for plastics. There is a growing demand for recycled products and Syndigo resins are poised to meet those needs in North America.

Commercially available products under the Syndigo brand include: 

• EX-PCR-WR3 resin, is mechanically recycled, sourced from polyethylene (PE) agricultural film, and ideal for e-commerce mailers, can liners, carry-out bags, protective packaging, and shrink
• EX-PCR-NC4 resin, mechanically recycled, sourced from back-of-store distribution center PE stretch film and front-of-store consumer drop off, and ideal for heavy-duty sacks, e-commerce mailers, stretch wrap, collation shrink, protective packaging, and industrial films
• EX-PCR-HD5 resin, is mechanically recycled, sourced from HDPE milk jugs, and ideal for flexible packaging, heavy-duty sacks, and small-part blow molding

As the wider societal conversation about plastics continues to evolve, the material’s climate impact has been much discussed, both in terms of harmful environmental impacts from production and also in regards to the energy and emissions benefits that can come from plastic use. PET, HDPE, LDPE/LLDPE, and PP in the US account for about 100.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per year, which amounts to 1.5% of total US greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.