Canadian company NOVA Chemicals has announced plans to develop the first mechanical recycling facility in Connersville, Indiana, US.
This will further mark the expansion of NOVA Chemicals’ Circular Solutions business.
The new facility is being developed for processing post-consumer plastic films that will help in manufacturing the company’s SYNDIGO recycled polyethylene (rPE) range.
The commercial-scale production of this rPE range is expected to commence by 2025. This will allow NOVA Chemicals to deliver more than 100 million pounds of rPE to the market by 2026.
NOVA Chemicals said that Connersville was strategically selected as the preferred location for the new facility as it has access to abundant feedstock supply of post-consumer films and an easy-to-access rail service for transporting SYNDIGO rPE to customers.
The site will employ around 125 people. It will be operated by Novolex Holdings, a South Carolina, US-based company that manufactures packaging products for foodservice and industrial markets.
Novolex has more than 15 years of experience in operating plastic film recycling facilities and this collaboration will help NOVA boost the production capacity of its SYNDIGO rPE range, resulting in increased supply to the market, NOVA Chemicals noted.
Novolex chairman and CEO Stanley Bikulege said: “The new plant will build on our experience of operating both our North Vernon plastics recycling facility in Indiana and our recycling plant in Wisconsin, as well as accelerate our commitment to support recycling and the circular economy.”
The opening of Connersville plant is also in line with NOVA Chemicals’ efforts to expand its recycling footprint over the coming years to further reinforce its 2030 ambition of 30% recycled content, as a share of its total polyethylene sales.
NOVA Chemicals president and CEO Roger Kearns said: “We are committed to helping our customers achieve their recycled content goals through a variety of business models and we look forward to making more announcements like this as we work to enable a low-carbon, zero-plastic waste future.”
