ustainable polyethylene (PE) producer Nova Chemicals has announced the establishment of its Centre of Excellence for Plastics Circularity in Alberta, Canada.
The new hub will act as a nexus for industry leaders and Canadian R&D institutions committed to enhancing global sustainable plastics management efforts.
The facility aims to enhance innovation in Canada, address customer requirements and help achieve global sustainability goals.
It will primarily focus on two objectives – R&D collaboration and value chain-integrated solutions.
The development aims to integrate expertise across various disciplines such as engineering, material science, environmental science and others.
NOVA Chemicals president and CEO Roger Kearns said: “We welcome innovators from across Canada and beyond to join us in developing scalable solutions for the world’s most complex plastics challenges.
“NOVA has an established reputation for working with others to spearhead innovation, and we are excited to continue bridging gaps between leading-edge ideas and commercially viable technologies.”
The Centre of Excellence is set to play a crucial role in supporting NOVA Chemicals’ 2030 Roadmap, announced last year.
Specifically, NOVA Chemicals set a goal to incorporate 30% recycled content in its total PE sales by 2030 and reduce its scope 1 and 2 absolute carbon dioxide emissions, also by 30%.
In addition to its Centre of Excellence, the company has launched a call for expression of interest (EOI) for Canadian research institutions.
The EOI is focused on mechanical recycling, advanced recycling and microplastics research.
Interested institutes have until 19 April 2024 to submit their EOIs.
In July last year, NOVA Chemicals announced plans to develop the first mechanical recycling facility in Connersville, Indiana, US.
