Nova Chemicals announces its first mechanical recycling facility

Nova Chemicals Corp., headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, is developing its first mechanical recycling facility in Connersville, Indiana, for postconsumer plastic films to produce the company’s Syndigo recycled polyethylene (rPE) at a commercial scale. Nova says processing will commence by 2025, delivering more than 100 million pounds of rPE to the market by 2026. Nova Chemicals says it plans to expand its recycling footprint over the next several years to help reach its 2030 ambition of 30 percent recycled content as a share of its total PE sales.  

“Nova Chemicals continues to show clear leadership in reshaping plastics for a better, more sustainable world,” says company President and CEO Roger Kearns. “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.”  

The facility will be operated by Novolex Holdings LLC, a Hartsville, South Carolina-based developer of packaging products for food service and industrial markets. 

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“Novolex is proud to collaborate with Nova Chemicals’ Circular Solutions and is excited by the opportunity to operate this state-of-the art recycling facility in the Hoosier state,” says Novolex Chairman and CEO Stanley Bikulege. “Indiana has long been a hub for sustainability, innovation and business. 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 company says its new facility will employ approximately 125 people and be one of Connersville’s largest private employers. Nova Chemicals selected Connersville because of its access to abundant feedstock supply of postconsumer films from nearby metropolitan areas and easy-to-access rail service for distributing Syndigo rPE to customers. 

“We are excited to welcome Nova Chemicals and Novolex to Indiana and our west central community,” says Gov. Eric J. Holcomb. “This investment is a testament to Indiana’s pro-growth business climate and our skilled Hoosier workforce, and we look forward to partnering with both companies to create new career opportunities and support the circular economy for years to come.” 

The company recently announced its 2030 Roadmap to Sustainability Leadership aspirations, including its anticipated investment of between $2-$4 billion by 2030 to expand its sustainable product offerings, decarbonize its assets and build a mechanical recycling business while exploring new advanced recycling technologies. 

“Plastic products play an essential role in our daily lives and will continue to be a valuable resource in establishing a lower-carbon and sustainable world. They are an invaluable resource for furthering the North American circular economy,” says Greg DeKunder, vice president of Nova Circular Solutions. “This project with Novolex and the state of Indiana is yet another example of how Nova Chemicals is working to find collaborative ways to recapture the value of plastic materials and use them again and again.”