Nova Chemicals and Enerkem join forces to further advance chemical recycling

Enerkem is a producer of low carbon intensity biofuels and circular chemicals from waste
.
The company successfully closed a funding round earlier this month and is now further advancing their joint chemical recycling project with Nova Chemicals
.

The two companies, which struck a deal in 2020 to explore the possibility of converting non-recyclable and non-compostable municipal waste into ethylene, announced that they would begin construction of a pilot-scale reactor system that would be obtained from waste plastics.
Syngas is converted into feedstock for the production of virgin-grade plastics
.

In the latest funding round, Enerkem has raised a total of CAD 255 million (EUR 187 million), of which CAD 4.
5 million (EUR 3.
3 million) was provided by Alberta Innovates through its Technology Innovation and Emission Reduction (“TIER”) Economic Recovery Program
.
Spain-based Repsol also provided substantial funding
.

The project combines the gasification expertise of Enerkem, the world's leading producer of waste-to-energy fuels and chemicals, and Nova Chemicals' petrochemical and plastics manufacturing experience
.
Its goal is to make Alberta a leader in developing a circular economy by diverting waste from landfills, creating value-added products and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
.
Calculations show that successful implementation of this technology in Alberta could reduce local carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 165,000 tons per year, while diverting 230,000 tons of waste (including more than 100,000 tons of mixed plastic waste) from landfills each year
.

Currently, Canada's waste plastic recycling rate is less than 10%
.
Research conducted by Nova Chemicals shows that consumers value products with sustainable packaging and are willing to buy them
.

"The project aims to expand the types of recyclable materials and increase recycling rates, while reducing incineration and landfill emissions and keeping plastics out of the environment," said Michel Chonet, executive vice president of engineering, innovation and operations at Enerkem
.

Greg DeKunder, vice president of polyethylene marketing at Nova Chemicals, added that Nova Chemicals has a bold ambition to create a circular economy for plastics and is committed to designing a low carbon, zero plastic waste future
.

He said advanced recycling technologies were an innovative part of achieving a circular economy and zero plastic waste for the environment
.