Global annual plastic consumption has doubled in twenty years and could double again within ten years. Despite all efforts to reduce plastic waste, its use continues to grow, and part of the blame lies with consumers, who prefer to pay less for disposable or over-packaged items. Eradicating this serious environmental problem is an ambitious challenge, but not impossible, according to Pyrowave CEO Jocelyn Doucet.
Pyrowave is a rapidly emerging Quebec company that specializes in the decomposition of polystyrene waste using microwaves, a process that uses electricity rather than chemical agents to recreate monomers, the basic material in the production of many everyday goods, and not just packaging. This formula appeals to investors: Pyrowave has just raised $ 7 million from groups including Investissement Québec in order to expand its facilities in Quebec and help put an end to plastic waste.
Recycled plastic
Each year, the planet consumes 380 million tonnes of plastic. This is an annual production which has doubled compared to twenty years ago. Much of this volume ends up in landfills. And more and more, they spill over into oceans, rivers and even, in the case of microplastic particles, into living organisms. Yet we can recycle all that plastic. The solution to this problem is twofold: first, you have to make sure that the plastic waste ends up at a recycler. Then, the recycled plastic must be resold at a price competitive with that of virgin plastic, notes Jocelyn Doucet.
“The first challenge is to establish a supply chain that allows end-of-life plastic to go to recyclers. This is the heart of the matter. The technology exists so that sorting centers can separate the different plastics and then recycle them up to 98%. Then there should be more promotion of recycled plastic in the manufacture of new products. Finally, there should be an ecodesign policy to eliminate the overuse of plastic, especially one that combines different plastics in a single product, which then complicates their recycling. “
The real cost of overpacking
A water bottle sold at the convenience store is usually made of more than one plastic. Its label is a flexible plastic that must be removed and treated differently from the bottle itself. Grocers sell their bananas in cellophane paper, because the latter guarantees better freshness. They explain that this approach, which is similar to overwrapping, is in fact less polluting since it reduces food waste. How can more plastic packaging be a credible solution to the mountains of waste – made up largely of plastic found all over the planet? By cheating on its real value, believes the CEO of Pyrowave.
“Sorting plastic waste costs more than producing virgin plastic for oil companies whose business model is above all to extract natural resources from the ground. And virgin plastic is inexpensive, because we do not calculate part of its cost, which we could call its carbon cost. It is a question of costs. This is why we overwrap and use plastic not always for the right reasons. “
A perverse effect
The electrification of transportation signals the imminent closure of many gas stations that will no longer sell enough oil to remain profitable. They will no longer buy as much fuel from the oil companies, which will have to find other areas in which to sell their products. These other sectors are already well targeted: plastic products. It is not for nothing that the largest hydrocarbon producers are currently investing billions of dollars in the construction of new plants to transform petroleum into polymers of all kinds, notes Mr. Doucet.
“The model of the oil companies dates back to World War II and has not changed much since: they extract natural resources from the ground and turn them into goods that are only consumed once. This is where the governments of the world have a leadership role to play. Banning the use of single-use plastics is a good start. The next step is to get the oil companies to focus on the production of more durable goods, and then to take better care of the end of life of these products. You have to create a business model that allows plastic to be used again to produce other goods. “
Quebec and its plastic
Pyrowave’s business model is relatively straightforward: the company licenses its technology to industrial giants who have the resources to incorporate recycled materials into their production on a large scale. The French group Michelin was one of the first customers of Pyrowave. The Quebec company does business only outside the country. For Quebec, it is an asset to have such an exporter within its economy. On the other hand, this means that the plastic thrown in Quebec does not benefit from its technology …
“The plastics industry in Quebec is not very big, but we could still make it very competitive internationally. In polystyrene, we have two Quebec producers and we are already talking to them. It would be possible to create a recycled polystyrene, which they could then sell outside the province. We could thus produce a green and competitive Quebec plastic. “