ACPD 2023 Program | Alberta Plastics Recycling Association

Jaclyn Schmidt
Executive Director for the Water and Waste Policy Branch at Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

Jaclyn Schmidt is currently in the role of Executive Director for the Water and Waste Policy Branch at Alberta Environment and Protected Areas. As part of its broader waste management accountabilities, the Waste Policy section of the branch is responsible for ensuring that Alberta’s new extended producer responsibility framework is implemented effectively and efficiently as a critical foundational piece of reducing Alberta’s waste impacts to the environment and achieving Alberta’s plastics circular economy goals.

Jaclyn has been with the Government of Alberta since 2006 in multiple technical, policy, and leadership roles tackling complex challenges in natural resources and industry development departments. She has a multidisciplinary background with a Masters of Environmental Science that serves as her foundation, and a passion for growing policy capacity in the public service.

Tim Wong
Director, Natural Gas Strategy and Engagement Branch, Alberta Energy

Tim is currently the Director of Value Add, Logistics and Environment in the Natural Gas Strategy and Engagement group at Alberta Energy. He leads a team that is responsible for carrying out the ambitions set out in Alberta’s Natural Gas Vision and Strategy – specifically on the potential growth pathways of Alberta industrial demand, petrochemical manufacturing and plastics circular economy.

Tim obtained his BSc. (mathematics, computing sciences and statistics) from the University of Alberta and has over 17 years of government experience with the Alberta Public Service (APS) working at Energy and Advanced Education. In his time with Alberta Energy, he has led several teams on various resource policy initiatives including conventional oil, coal, minerals, oil sands and natural gas. His experience in strategy development and execution includes the international energy strategy, climate polices, and oversight of ministerial international engagements/missions.

Susan Young

Susan Young is responsible for strategic and horizontal policy within the federal zero plastic waste and circular plastics economy initiative at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). She has worked on sustainability issues in both the public and private sectors since 1992.

Her first government positions were at Global Affairs Canada, in the Environment and Southeast Asia Divisions. She then spent four years each at the Canadian Environment Industry Association, and as a consultant at Marbek, a national environmental consulting firm in Ottawa. After several years abroad with small children, she returned to Global Affairs where she held positions in multilateral programs, until joining ECCC in 2017.

Susan holds a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from Université Laval, and a post-graduate diploma in Sustainable Development: Natural Resource Management from the Centre for Development, Environment and Policy at the University of London in the U.K.

Paul Shorthouse
Managing Director, Circular Economy Leadership Canada

Paul is one of Canada’s leading experts in the emerging circular economy, providing solutions and engaging leaders who are working at the intersection of business innovation, public policy, economic development, and sustainability. For over a decade, this work has placed him at the forefront of the important transition that is underway towards a greener, more prosperous, low-carbon economy.

In February 2021, Paul took on the role of Managing Director of the Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC), a network of leaders from all industries and sectors who are fostering collaboration, innovation, and knowledge exchange to accelerate the transition to a circular economy in Canada. In this role he will be the driving force behind the CELC’s Circular Economy Solution Series and the network’s efforts to amplify leading-edge work already underway in this space, while fostering innovation and synergies among business leaders, policymakers, academics, and other stakeholders to drive meaningful systems change.

This work is being done in collaboration with several partners including the GLOBE Series and The Delphi Group where Paul is a senior director and leads their Green and Circular Economy practice nation-wide. Paul is also Board Chair for the Synergy Foundation and Project Zero (a circular economy accelerator program on Vancouver Island).

Prior to this, Paul served as Managing Director of Vancouver-based GLOBE Advisors and was the Conference Director for the GLOBE Series (from 2009-2016), considered one of the largest sustainability events of its type in the world. He was also a founding Executive Member of the BC Home Performance Stakeholder Council, as well as a member of the Program Advisory Committees for BCIT’s School of Business and UBC’s Masters in Energy Leadership (MEL) Program.

Paul has a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Victoria, a Certificate in Environmental Stewardship from Camosun College, and a Diploma of Technology in Marketing Management and Entrepreneurship from BCIT’s School of Business.

Michael Burt, BSc., MBA
Vice President & Corporate Director
Dow Chemical Canada ULC

Mike is currently Vice President for Dow Chemical Canada, a corporate Officer for Dow’s Canadian operations and Global Director of Climate and Energy Policy. He is is responsible for overseeing the regulatory operations, government affairs and public affairs for Dow’s operations through-out Canada. In addition to these, Mike is Dow’s Chief Privacy Officer, sits on Dow Canada’s pension board and oversees issues management for sites within Canada.

As a sustainability, circular economy and decarbonization expert, his background includes almost three decades of experience evaluating new technologies, remediating environmentally impacted sites throughout North America and internationally and developing financing strategies for R&D opportunities. Mike has been instrumental in directing the policy development, government liaison and implementation of several companies within the energy and chemical sectors. Mike specializes in new project development, Issues management and start-up operations and has worked with provincial and federal regulators in helping develop policy for the energy and petrochemical sectors.

Throughout his career Mike has evaluated numerous energy technologies and developed detailed plans on marketing these technologies to stakeholders, corporate boards, and governments at all levels.

Mike has a BSc. from the University of Alberta and an MBA from Queens.

Tony Moucachen
President, Merlin Plastics

Tony Moucachen is the President and one of the founders of Merlin Plastics. He is passionate about the environment, and feels blessed to have a career that is consistent with his personal environmental values.

For the past 30 plus years, Merlin Plastics has planned, developed, and built plants that process PE, PP, HDPE, (flexible PE/PP), and PET. The company began its recycling business in 1987 out of a two thousand square foot warehouse in Delta, British Columbia. Today, Merlin owns and operates recycling facilities totalling over one million square feet in space with sister plants located in Alberta, Ontario, California and Oregon. Merlin has also been involved in post-collection EPR programs and worked in a partnership spirit with EPR organizations to effectively manage end of life plastics packaging.

Tony is a current Director of the Association of Plastics Recyclers, a current Director of the Canada Plastics Pact, and an active member of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association. In 2001, Merlin Plastics received the “Outstanding Contribution to Recycling” award from the Recycling Council of Alberta. And in 2005, the Recycling Council of BC recognized Merlin Plastics with an award “in recognition of ongoing commitment to the ideals of responsible environmental stewardship in the province of British Columbia”.

Tony and Merlin Plastics are dedicated and committed to providing environmental services in an economically efficient, environmentally sound, and socially responsible fashion.

Kevin Kernaghan
APRA Board Member, President of PolyCycle Environmental

Kevin is the President of PolyCycle Environmental Inc., an innovative processing company that supports a circular economy and aims to collect plastics in all stages of their lifecycle to improve capture and recycling rates. Kevin has extensive knowledge in the plastics industry with more than 30 years of direct work experience. After attending Mount Royal University, Kevin was employed with several different plastic manufacturing companies with escalating responsibilities and oversight, covering the following applications: laminating, blown film, blow molding, injection molding, and compounding. This varied experience has provided Kevin with extensive knowledge and insights that make him a valuable member of the APRA Board and Executive Team.

Kevin has been an active APRA board member for 15 years, with 5 years on the Executive. In his current dual role as Secretary/Treasurer, Kevin is an important member of APRA’s Executive Team. As Treasurer he has responsibility for the oversight of APRA’s financial affairs. In that role he has made significant strides in ensuring APRA’s finances are well managed and supported by appropriate oversight and controls. Kevin also played an integral role in developing APRA’s new strategic direction and implementation plan in 2022. He represents APRA’s Executive leadership in the newly formed Membership Working Group and has been instrumental in the redesign of membership categories as well as the addition of new members. Kevin is an active participant in APRA and welcomes the opportunity to continue to serve on the Board.

Anna Rajkovic
Circular Economy Market Manager, NOVA Chemicals

Anna Rajkovic is the Circular Economy Market Manager at NOVA Chemicals. In her role, she is responsible for the company’s recycled polyethylene (rPE) product portfolio, and more broadly driving circularity with plastic converter customers and across the entire plastics value chain. Anna joined NOVA Chemicals in 2008; prior to her current role she was an applications development specialist in the circular economy space as well as a technical service specialist for the drum and pipe markets. She has also been deeply involved with industry associations: Currently Anna is serving on the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) Market Development Committee and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) Design and Market Solutions Thematic Expert Group.

Prior to joining NOVA Chemicals, Anna was a regional sales manager at KWH pipe in Calgary and an account manager at Jana Labs. Anna has a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. She lives in the Okanagan with her family including two young children, where she gets to enjoy skiing, mountain biking, and the local lakes and vineyards.

Allen Langdon
Chief Executive Officer, Circular Materials

As Circular Materials’ CEO, Allen is responsible for leading the organization through the development and implementation of Ontario’s new blue box recycling system while also expanding the organization’s operations into other jurisdictions. Allen’s mission is to support producers with a robust not-for-profit service offering that advances the circular economy, delivers national harmonization of extended producer responsibility (EPR) services and harnesses competitive procurement to provide the best value for producers.

Prior to joining Circular Materials, Allen served as the President and CEO of Return-It, British Columbia’s very successful used beverage container management program in Canada. In this role, Allen oversaw the modernization of Return-It’s collection network, which consists of more than 170 collection sites, including Return-It depots, Express Plus and Express & GO stations. Return-It has routinely exceeded a 75% recovery rate for used beverage containers in British Columbia, and its network has supported the collection of new materials, including waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Allen also served as the Managing Director for Recycle BC, the first 100% EPR program for paper and packaging in North America where industry assumed full financial and managerial responsibility for the residential recycling system.

Allen currently serves as an Advisory Council Member for the Canada Plastics Pact, and Advisory Board Member for the Washington State Recycling Development Centre.

Christa Seaman
Acting Vice President,
Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Christa has been supporting the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada since Sept 2021 and is currently the Acting Vice President, Plastics.

Christa has over 20 years of experience across the public and private sector with a focus on policy analysis and advocacy, government relations and communication. She has been engaged in policy and regulatory development for the last eighteen years, including participating on numerous multi-stakeholder advisory committees.

She has led many challenging files such as climate change, hydraulic fracturing, and oil sands from both a policy and reputation perspective. It was Canada’s leadership of the G7 and the formation of the Ocean Plastics Charter and the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment’s work on Zero Plastic Waste in 2018, that started Christa’s engagement and leadership on plastics policy in Canada.

Benjamin Plantz
Management Consulting, BASF Corporation

Ben is a project manager on BASF Corporation’s in-house management consulting team, based out of the North America headquarters in Florham Park, New Jersey. He has been staffed to the reciChain project since March 2022 and is responsible for the project’s economics workstream, supporting the development of the blockchain platform, and general project management.

He has been with BASF since 2011, and prior to joining the management consulting team, he has held roles in product and asset management, business development, finance, and marketing. He received his B.S. in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and his MBA from New York University’s Stern School of Business. He’s an avid volleyball player and enjoys spending time with his partner and their 1.5 year old husky.

Mehr Nikoo

Mehr Nikoo manages a clean technology portfolio at Alberta Innovates focusing on Bioenergy and the Circular Economy. Her work is focused mainly on the utilization of agricultural and forestry residues and waste, plastics and emerging waste, while reducing products entering landfills.

Mehr is a professional engineer with two master’s degrees in chemical engineering and environmental systems engineering.

Mehr’s diversified work experience involves leveraging her engineering and project management skills over the past 20+ years to advance renewable fuels and waste diversion technologies.

She’s commercialized sustainable products and is an experienced process engineer working for Stantec and Rally Engineering. Mehr has also worked as a research engineer and project management professional in clean energy for InnoTech Alberta and in start-up companies.

Alberta Innovates is where Mehr’s experiences in the development, management, and commercialization of clean technologies come to fruition for the benefit of the province.

Paul Tas
Director of Polyethylene Technical Services,
NOVA Chemicals

Paul Tas is NOVA Chemicals’ Director of PE Technical Services, positioned at the Center for Performance Applications in Calgary, Alberta. He is responsible for innovation in application development through the use of new product technology, and for driving customer success in the current and future market space. His main focus is on creating new technical market spaces for PE expanding growth opportunities, designing for circularity and incorporation of PCR.

Since he joined NOVA in 2003 he has had roles as product scientist, TS Team Leader, Corporate Quality Leader, Intelligence Leader and Market Manager Food packaging. He received his MSc and PhD at the University of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. He is married, with 3 kids, and enjoys any kind of outdoor activity.

Lorena Lujan Rubio
Innovation and Strategic Partners Leader,
BASF Canada

In her Innovation & Strategic Partners Leader role at BASF Canada, Lorena Lujan Rubio leads different innovation projects related to sustainability, clean tech and new materials. In addition, she is responsible for driving external engagement with selected partners, evaluating and leading relationships with Canadian innovation clusters, universities, research institutes and start-ups. Prior to this role, Lorena led BASF’s external communications strategy in Canada, contributing to the significant increase of media presence and strengthening brand awareness by liaising with local, national and trade news sources.

Lorena is originally from Madrid, Spain, and has been enduring the harsh Canadian winters for almost 5 years.

Dan Zembal
PolyAg Recycling

Dan Zembal has over 25 years of management and leadership experience in waste management and recycling. He is an active environmental champion and has served on numerous boards, committees and organizations that promote and facilitate environmentally sustainable solutions. Dan is the founder and owner of Alberta Waste and Recycling, a Calgary-based company focusing on providing innovative, cost-effective construction waste and recycling solutions and facilities in southern and central Alberta. He is also co-founder/co-owner of PolyAg Recycling, a recycling company that processes agricultural plastic waste in Alberta and Saskatchewan into PCR pellets. Dan has a Masters of Public Administration from the University of Victoria and has won numerous awards for academic excellence.

Dan has played a key role in the development of recycling programs, services and policies for the Construction and Demolition industry in Alberta. As an innovator, his company Alberta Waste and Recycling, was one of the first recycling businesses in Alberta to successfully recycle asphalt shingles and drywall. Dan was recognized by the construction industry as one of its “Movers and Shakers”. His company received the Recycling Council of Alberta’s 2011 Rs of Excellence award for Leadership in C&D Recycling.

Mike Bezboridka
Quality Assurance Manager, Berry Global

Mike Bezboridka is a graduate of the NAIT Plastics Engineering Technology program. He has worked in Alberta plastics industry for close to thirty years. Experience includes raw materials, elastomers for oil and gas industry, and he is currently employed with Berry Global producing agriculture and horticulture films. As the Quality Assurance Manager, he has worked over the years with several end users and is familiar with the process.

Davin Johnson
Program Advisor, Cleanfarms Inc.

Davin Johnson is the Alberta Program Advisor of Cleanfarms Inc., a non-profit industry stewardship organization committed to environmental responsibility through properly managing agricultural plastic packaging and product waste. He has worked with Cleanfarms since 2013 as a consultant in the unwanted pesticide and animal health medication collection program and now coordinates all of Cleanfarms’ stewardship programs in Alberta.

In addition to working with stakeholders across the province to support existing ag recycling and waste management programs, Davin focuses on the Alberta Ag-Plastic. Recycle It! pilot to recycle grain bags and twine, a pilot to recycle bale and silage wrap, and a seed, pesticide and inoculant bag collection program expanding across the prairies.

Born in Saskatchewan and raised in southern Alberta, Davin holds a B.Sc. with a concentration in GIS from the University of Lethbridge. Most of his professional career has been spent in rural Alberta, remediating and reclaiming farm and ranchland as an environmental scientist. Founded on a passion for environmental sustainability, he brings to his role 14 years of environmental science, remote sensing, GIS, and project oversight experience in the oil and gas, geomatics, agricultural, academic, government, and not-for-profit sectors.

Bill Santos
Director, Future Focus R&D – Innovation, NOVA Chemicals

Dr. Bill Santos, Ph.D. is the Director of Future Focus R&D at the Centre for Applied Research for NOVA Chemicals based in Calgary, Alberta.

In his role, Dr. Santos is accountable for the development and delivery of new game changing technologies in the areas of polyethylene and circular product development, low carbon ethylene, advanced recycling and sustainability R&D.

Dr. Santos has over 17 years of petrochemical and pipeline industry experience covering a variety of technical and leadership roles.

He is a graduate of Western University, earning both his BSc. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry at the University of Western Ontario in 2000 & 2005 respectively.

David Lynch
General Manager, Research and Development,
Enerkem Inc

At Enerkem, Mr. Lynch manages laboratory testing and pilot integration that has provided data-driven support for Enerkem’s commercial process design. Mr. Lynch orchestrated the bench scale development of Enerkem’s methanol-to-ethanol process and has established pilot and laboratory facilities in Edmonton, AB.

Mr. Lynch builds on more than 25 years of industry experience, where he advanced development and scale up of various new products and manufacturing processes.

He holds a Master of Science degree in Management of Technology from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Fairfield University.

Robert Herritt
Styro-Go

Robert has been involved in the recycling industry for almost 15 years and spent the last 8 years making EPS- polystyrene (and more recently EPE- Expanded Polyethylene) recycling a mainstream service and part of the circular economy in Canada. Formerly a pilot in the airline industry, Robert uses his experience and connections from living in many parts of the world to bring the best innovation and technology to solve one of the last missing links in the recycling food chain.

Corey Saban
Founder and CEO, Re-Waste

Corey Saban is a passionate advocate for plastic recycling and the founder and CEO of [Re] Waste. With a unique perspective coming from the construction industry, Corey has developed innovative solutions for how plastics can be used to create value.

[Re] Waste was started as a passion project in Corey’s garage with a curiosity for managing plastic waste differently, and has now grown into a thriving business at the forefront of the circular economy.

At the Alberta Plastic Recycling Day Conference, Corey will be sharing leading examples of plastics recycling in Alberta and how [Re] Waste is paving the way for a smooth transition towards a more sustainable future.

Jonathan Beekman
Founder, Full Circle Plastics

Jonathan Beekman is the founder of Full Circle Plastics, a company known for its innovative approach to plastic manufacturing. The past 7 years, the company has successfully manufactured almost 7 million kilograms of plastic lumber out of one-hundred percent recycled plastic. Jonathan’s innovative methods have made a significant impact in the plastic industry and promoting sustainability. He is based in the County of Lethbridge just outside of Nobleford, Alberta.

Mehdi Pakravan
Polykar,
Director of Quality Assurance and Technical Services

Mehdi has over 20 years of experience in various polymer industries including more than 10 years in development of flexible packaging products for food and pharmaceutical industry in North America under his belt. Oriented towards continuous improvement, he has led multidisciplinary projects enroute to developing more than 20 new products from ideation to launch. He is a proven leader with an impressive track record in developing products to boost sales growth and to build trust with customers by addressing their quality concerns and meeting their demanding expectations.

Mehdi holds a PhD in polymer-packaging materials from École de Polytechnique de Montréal as well as several certificates in project management. He joined Polykar in 2021 as the Director of Quality Assurance and Technical Services and has been part of the Executive Management team since then.

With his vast industrial experience, and his extensive scientific knowledge, Mehdi and his team will continue to support the growth of Polykar.

Blaire Gaalaas
President,
Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB)

Blaire joined the Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB) in April of 2011 and has held various roles in the organization, including: Manager of Administration, Director of Programs, Director of Policy and Hearings, and Vice President, and as of April 1, 2020, President.

The BCMB is the regulator for the Beverage Container Recycling System in Alberta.

Prior to the BCMB Blaire served in numerous roles related to Evaluation and Research where much of her time was spent evaluating non-profit and government programs related to legal services and social justice programs. Blaire was also the Managing Director for the Edmonton Community Centre (nee Edmonton Centre for Equal Justice) working to develop and create an organization that provided free legal services to individuals experiencing low-income in the Edmonton area.

Christina Seidel
Executive Director,
Recycling Council of Alberta

Christina holds a PhD in Engineering Management. She operates Sonnevera International Corp., a waste reduction consulting firm, and is the current Executive Director of the Recycling Council of Alberta. She is also a member of the National Zero Waste Council and the Canada Plastics Pact, as well as co-chair of the Plastics Alliance of Alberta.

Susie Jahren
AION

Susie Jahren is Chief Circular Product Officer at AION, responsible for creating and scaling new closed loops for sustainable and intercepting plastic before it becomes waste. AION helps big brand companies to shift from a linear to a circular plastics economy. Their solution delivers recyclable plastic products, a digital platform and knowhow from an interdisciplinary team of experts. AION calls this Circularity as a Service℠.

Susie is an experienced plastics researcher and established the Circular Economy research division at Scandinavia’s largest Research Institute, SINTEF before moving to AION to realise the potential of scaling up the circular economy of plastics in Industry. She has a PhD in Materials Science and Medical Materials from the University of Cambridge

Susie Jahren will present concrete examples from industries and brands who have transitioned over to circular models and can demonstrate positive suitable impact and taking ownership of their own plastic footprint.

Guy West
President and CEO of Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation

Guy West is the President & CEO of Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC) and has been in the industry for 30+ years. ABCRC operates the common collection system for non-refillable beverage containers and operates two collection and compaction facilities in the province. ABCRC was the first deposit program to publish an integrated Sustainability Report in 2014 that publicly states the recovery rates and end-of-life for beverage containers collected.

Exhibitor

Peer Pallets Inc

Peer Pallets is a new company that is located in Okotoks, Alberta.

We are not a company that recycles plastics, but finding ways to reduce plastic consumption. Our first product on displa is a pallet with a built-in reusable packaging system. This pallet eliminated the need for people shipping merchandise on pallets to ever need banding or stretch wrap again.

Wherever the pallet goes, the wrap goes with it. The wrap can securely wrap anything from an inch tall, up to 8′ high.

The wood used to build this pallet on display, was made from construction materials that were heading to the landfill.

Stretch wrap is made from LDPE and is usually one of the plastics that’s the easiest to recycle. For some reason, stretch wrap seems to retain a lot of moisture in the recycling process, making it difficult to recycle in some instances.

Turning Agricultural Waste into Biodegradable Packaging: Rapeseed Protein as a
Plastic Alternative

Frage Abookleesh, Punita Upadhyay, and Aman Ullah

As concerns over the environmental impact of petroleum-based polymers continue to rise, interest in biodegradable packaging derived from agricultural materials is growing. Canola meal (CM), a low-value by-product of canola oil extraction, is typically unsuitable for human or animal consumption due to its toxicity. However, its high storage protein content, renewability, biodegradability, and affordability make it a promising candidate for sustainable packaging applications. Rapeseed proteins exhibit versatile physicochemical properties, positioning them as a viable renewable alternative to conventional plastic packaging.

This study investigates the development of biodegradable food packaging films by blending rapeseed protein with chitosan, enhanced through compatibilization with montmorillonite (MMT) and citric acid. The resulting films were assessed for key performance attributes, including mechanical strength, thermal stability, water resistance, barrier properties, recyclability, and biodegradability—critical factors for replacing single-use plastic packaging.

Exhibitor

Curtis Ltd

Curtis’ Environmental Services Division leads the way in agricultural recycling, providing a comprehensive, end-to-end solution for sustainable waste management. Curtis is the Largest Agriculture Plastic Container Recycler in Alberta, Saskatchewan, & Manitoba. From pickup and logistics to processing, shredding and cleaning, Curtis ensures that every step of the recycling journey is handled with efficiency and care. By turning agricultural waste into reusable resources, Curtis not only supports clients in reducing their environmental footprint but also drives innovation in sustainability across Western Canada.

Low Concentration Microplastic Detection through Raman Spectroscopy Probe

Muhammad Burhan, Curtis Allen, Trace Malcolm, Quamrul Huda

Detecting microplastic particles as well as quantification and material characterization has been a challenge. Offline processes involving optical microscopy and analytical chemistry techniques are time consuming. Online measurements, with samples collected from a bypass line can in principle provide particle information in a much shorter time. However, the detection of microplastics through inline/online process in real time is challenging especially when material characterization is involved. In this presentation, work towards an automated system for detection of microplastics at low concentrations through Raman spectroscopy is presented.

Guest Speaker

Walson Tai

Binary Holds

Walson Tai has been in the climbing industry since the early 90’s and is the co-owner of the Calgary Climbing Centres, Flashed Climbing, Binary Holds, and Magic Labs. In 2014, Walson founded Binary Holds which has since become Canada’s largest climbing hold manufacturer. In 2022, Binary Holds set out to be a leader in the climbing hold industry and transitioned from manufacturing urethane to recyclable thermoplastics in the effort to make climbing hold manufacturing more sustainable and environmentally responsible. When Walson is not working you can find him climbing, skiing, biking, and spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Guest Speaker

Dawn Green

DOW

Dawn Green is a Senior Project Manager at Dow Canada, where she leverages her Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Alberta to tackle challenging problems. Dawn is passionate about being part of high-performing teams and unravelling the complexities of technology and business.

Currently, Dawn holds the role of Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero Program Decarbonization Lead, overseeing the strategic alignment and technical coordination of a multi-generational decarbonization plan. This includes integrating carbon capture and storage technologies for both the proposed mega-project and existing facilities at the Fort Saskatchewan site. Dawn is responsible for ensuring the successful integration of these advanced technologies to achieve the world’s first net-zero carbon emissions integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives site with respect to scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide emissions.

Dawn holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and is a Professional Engineer (P. Eng.) in the province of Alberta.

Plastic Recycling and Upcycling via Additive Manufacturing

Nasim Zaman Piyas

Plastics are one of the most pressing environmental challenges, with billions of tons accumulating in landfills and oceans. This project, part of the Global Center for BioPlastics, focuses on recycling and upcycling bio-based plastics, along with all seven types of plastics (PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, and others), through a large-scale additive manufacturing and an autonomous production line. By integrating automation, AI-driven sorting, and advanced extrusion technologies, we aim to develop a fast, robust, and affordable recycling-to-production system that transforms plastic waste into high-value, sustainable products. This initiative supports Canada’s circular economy by reducing plastic pollution, cutting GHG emissions, and minimizing landfill dependency while pioneering a scalable, portable, and environmentally responsible manufacturing solution.

Guest Speaker

Anna Rajkovic

NOVA Chemicals

Anna Rajkovic is the Mechanical Recycling Market & Innovation Manager at NOVA Chemicals. In her role, she is responsible for the company’s PCR product portfolio, and more broadly driving circularity and building end markets through collaboration with plastic converter customers and across the entire plastics value chain. Anna joined NOVA Chemicals in 2008; prior to her current role she held the positions of Circular Economy market manager, Circular Economy applications development specialist, as well as a technical service specialist for the drum and pipe markets. She has been deeply involved with industry associations like the Association of Plastics Recyclers (APR) and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste. Prior to joining NOVA Chemicals, Anna was a regional sales manager at KWH Pipe in Calgary. Anna has a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.

Guest Speaker

Charles David Mathieu-Poulin

Circular Plastics Task Force and EEQ

Charles David Mathieu-Poulin is a sustainability and circular economy expert, with over 12 years of experience in the printing, packaging and recycling industries. He is the Lead, Office of the CEO, Strategic Projects and Governmental Relations at EEQ, the producer responsibility organization in charge of modernizing the curbside recycling system in Québec through EPR. In this role, he ensures the implementation of the organization’s vision and strategy, and acts as liaison between EEQ and the various levels of government and others organizations in and outside Quebec. Charles David is also involved in several technical committees and industry initiatives, including as a strategic advisor to the Circular Plastics Taskforce (CPT).

Guest Speaker

Rob Morphew

Co-op Calgary

Rob Morphew, Health, Safety and Environment Director, Calgary Coop. Have been with Calgary Coop for 20 years, and involved in Safety and Environment for over 30 years.

An Environmental Professional (EP), with Eco Canada, Canada’s only nationally recognized designation for environmental practitioners. Role includes, overseeing Occupational Health and Safety, Food Safety and Environmental programs with Calgary Coop.

As part of his role Calgary Coop, Rob oversees the waste, recycling, organics diversion programs. The recently launched EPR/PFAS/Plastic Registry requirements falls under the umbrella of Rob’s role. Rob will talk about the implementation of the EPR program at a local retail organization and share some of the learnings from this recently launched Alberta program for a local retailer.

Exhibitor

RCA

The Recycling Council of Alberta (RCA) is a not-for-profit, non-political organization formed in 1987, and approved as an official charity in 1995. The RCA’s mission is to promote, facilitate and advocate for a Circular Economy in Alberta through waste reduction and resource conservation. recycle.ab.ca

Exhibitor

CIAC

The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada is the association for leaders in Canada’s chemistry and plastic sectors. Chemistry and plastics are the third-largest industry in Canada – responsible for $94 billion in shipments in 2021 and employs 173,200 people. The Association represents close to 200 members and partners across the country. We provide coordination and leadership on key issues including innovation, investment, plastics, taxation, health and safety, environment, and regulatory initiatives. www.canadianchemistry.ca

Exhibitor

Inter Pipeline

Inter Pipeline owns and operates world-scale energy infrastructure assets in Western Canada and Europe. With more than two decades of industry experience, our entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to innovation has positioned Inter Pipeline as one of Canada’s safest, fastest growing energy infrastructure companies. We take great pride in developing North America’s first integrated propane dehydrogenation and polypropylene complex.

Heartland Polymers, Inter Pipeline’s polypropylene brand, and The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) are working together on applied research to look at ways to reuse and recycle plastic in Canada. The ten-year agreement, known as Plastics Research in Action (PRIA), is funded by our $10 million commitment, which represents the largest applied research partnership in NAIT’s history.

To learn more about Inter Pipeline’s approach to sustainability, visit our website: www.interpipeline.com

Exhibitor

NAIT

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is one of Canada’s leading applied research polytechnics. Through our local and international industry partnerships, we create and improve processes, develop technologies and implement services. Our industry-tailored solutions are created to address the complex needs of our partners and to help them drive impact for their customers and for our economy.
Our applied research aims to create maximum impact by advancing clean technology and striving for the sustainable development of the economic sectors anchored in Canadian and Albertan natural resources, technology and innovative media.

NAIT is collaborating with Heartland Polymers on the Plastics Research in Action (PRIA) initiative, a 10-year, $10 million applied research program that focuses on exploring opportunities for society to reuse and recycle plastic waste. https://www.nait.ca/nait/home

Exhibitor

REAC

Vision: The Society of High Prairie Regional Environmental Action Committee supports the protection and enhancement of the natural environment.

Mission: The mission of the Society of High Prairie Regional Environmental Action Committee involves both public education about and activities supporting responsible waste management, sustainable energy production, sustainable resource development, airshed and watershed protection in our region.

REAC’s newest goal is the Plastics Remanufacture Project:

We can re-manufacture plastic at the locations it becomes waste!

REAC’s research project (funded by Dow Canada) with the University of Alberta department of mechanical engineering is complete! Dioxins/furans were not found in small scale plastics recycling equipment, and VOC’s were within the standard for human health.

Our fundraiser is now live: https://give.crowdfunding.alberta.ca/12SVF5?ref=ab_2CqId3! Please help us set up a pilot project in partnership with rural, remote, and Indigenous communities in Northern Alberta to hire artists, artisans, and technicians to start doing the work of re-manufacturing plastic. Communities need a comprehensive business plan to win, and our partners Community Futures will assist to write it. According to the Precious Plastic model, the winning community will buy clean post-consumer plastic ‘waste’ from their citizens and make new things!

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@REACinfo/playlists

Website: https://www.reacinfo.ca/

Exhibitor

Circular Materials

Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit that was established by Canada’s leading producers to support them in meeting their requirements under extended producer responsibility regulations. Our objective is to improve the recovery of materials by implementing a harmonized approach to recycling
across Canada.
We are committed to building effective recycling systems that ensure materials are collected, sorted, processed, and recycled. In addition, we are returning material back to producers to be used as recycled content in new packaging and products, ensuring full circularity and benefitting people and the planet. Learn more: circularmaterials.ca

Exhibitor

Merlin Plastics

Merlin Plastics is western Canada’s largest post-consumer and post-industrial plastics processor. Merlin Plastics accepts and recycles the following grades of plastics: #1 PET, #2 HDPE, #4 LDPE, #5 PP, # 6 PS, & #7 other plastics such as PC, TPO, etc. Our organization partners with local public and private collectors, recyclers and individual commercial generators of recyclable plastics.

Exhibitor

Varme Energy

Varme is building the next generation of waste-to-energy facilities featuring cutting-edge carbon capture technology. Despite our best efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle, there will always be waste left behind. With Varme’s waste-to-energy facilities, that leftover waste is no longer a burden. Instead, it’s transformed into valuable, sustainable energy that powers our communities. Together, we can close the loop on waste. Our waste-to-energy facilities turn everyday household garbage into clean electricity and heat for your community. We safely capture and store all emissions, making the entire process carbon-negative, and leaving a legacy that future generations will be proud of.

Exhibitor

The Mother Earth

Mother Earth Inc. was founded in 2021 in the midst of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Focused on creating a brighter tomorrow, we set our sights on a growing issue: Plastic Waste. In order to protect the environment for future generations, sustainable solutions are needed. By utilizing green technologies, we plan to collect, separate and manufacture waste plastic polymers to make a range of everyday consumer and commercial products. From parking pads to building materials, our goals is to reduce the amount of waste entering our environment and usher in an environmentally conscious industry, currently in its infancy.
Mother Earth Inc. offers a comprehensive product portfolio consisting of various sustainable solutions made from recycled plastic waste. Each product is designed with a focus on durability, functionality, and environmental responsibility. The following is an overview of the company’s product offerings:

Landscaping Tiles
Sidewalk Slabs
Driveway tiles
Parking Curbs
Traffic Barriers
Wall Panels
Foundation Beams
Cinderblocks

Exhibitor

EFS-plastics Inc.

EFS is a recycler and processor of mixed plastics specializing in class 2,4 and 5 and a producer of 100% PCR resin pellets.

Founded in 2007, Environmentally Friendly Solutions, better known as EFS-plastics Inc. has more than 25 years of experience in post-consumer plastic recycling between Germany and Canada. Located in Listowel, Ontario, in a 75,000 square foot facility on 10.6 acres of land, and a 90,000 square foot facility in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, we divert 70,000,000 lbs/year from landfills. The company now has a location in Lethbridge, AB.

See the corporate website for more details: https://www.efs-plastics.ca/.

Exhibitor

Cleanfarms

Cleanfarms is a non-profit agricultural industry stewardship organization that contributes to a healthier environment and a sustainable future for Canadian agriculture by developing and operating programs across Canada specifically for farmers that collect used ag plastics for recycling, as well as other ag-related used and unwanted materials for recycling or safe disposal.
www.cleanfarms.ca

Exhibitor

NOVA Chemicals

NOVA Chemicals is reshaping plastics for a better, more sustainable world. To achieve this, we are focused on the following:

Delivering innovative solutions to make everyday life healthier and safer
Being a catalyst for a low carbon, zero plastic waste future
Unlocking the full potential of our people and partnerships

Our industry-leading portfolio of virgin and recycled polyethylene resins and best-in-class technical expertise set us apart. Customers use our products to create easy-to-recycle and recycled content films, packaging, and products for various end-use applications. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, NOVA Chemicals is wholly owned by Mubadala Investment Company of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Learn more about our Polyethylene and Olefins businesses.

Exhibitor

Scion Instruments Canada Limited

Scion Instruments designs, develops, supplies and supports GC, GC-MS, LC and Compass CDS (chromatography data system) product lines. Built on the history of Varian and Bruker chromatography instruments, Scion Instruments was acquired by the Techcomp group in 2014. Scion Instruments maintains a global infrastructure to support sales around the world. As well as providing support for Scion Instruments customers, there is also service and support available for users of legacy Varian and Bruker systems.

Exhibitor

Dow Canada

For 80 years, Dow has been proudly innovating in Canada. We develop basic chemicals and plastics used to make a broad range of innovative and technology-based products and solutions in the packaging, industrial and infrastructure, and consumer care industries.

Dow Canada is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta and has manufacturing facilities in Alberta and Ontario.

Dow has outlined a clear path to decarbonize our manufacturing facilities while growing and delivering low carbon products to customers. Dow’s proposed Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero expansion project will create the world’s first net-zero carbon emissions integrated ethylene cracker and derivatives site with respect to scope 1 and 2 carbon dioxide emissions.

Moderator

Linda Garratt

Inter Pipeline

As Associate General Counsel and Director of Sustainability for the Heartland Business Unit at Inter Pipeline, Ms. Garratt is responsible for legal oversight for all matters relating to the Heartland Business Unit and building and implementing a sustainability strategy relating to emissions and plastics circularity for the Heartland Business Unit. Prior to joining Inter Pipeline in 2018, Ms. Garratt worked in-house with two other mid-stream companies, with significant experience in commercial work and project development. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor of Laws/Juris Doctorate Degree from Queen’s University and is a member of the Law Society of Alberta.

Ms. Garratt was a board member for four years and co-chair for two years with the Women’s Centre of Calgary and was a board member of the Association of Corporate Counsel Alberta Chapter as well.

Guest Speaker

Dr. Roxana Sühring

TMU

Dr. Roxana Sühring is an Assistant Professor in Analytical Environmental Chemistry at the Department for Chemistry and Biology at Toronto Metropolitan University. She holds doctor of natural sciences (Dr. rer. nat.) degree in environmental chemistry from the Leuphana University in Lueneburg and conducted postdoctoral research in Germany, Canada, and Sweden. From 2016-2018 she led a regulatory scientist team at the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. During this time, she also was the policy advisor to the Netherland’s delegation for the OSPAR Offshore Industry Committee (OIC) regarding offshore chemicals and advisor for the UK Ministry of Defence regarding potentially polluting shipwrecks.

Her interdisciplinary research encompasses the development of innovative analytical strategies for the characterization of plastic pollutants in water as well as the development of analysis strategies to help understand the chemical, physical and socio-economic factors that drive the observed pollution patterns.

She is a sought-after invited and keynote speaker at international conferences and was featured in the Agilent Technologies Podcast “Spectral Stories from the North”, the microplastic information campaign by Ocean Diagnostic, le Journal de Québec documentary “Microplastiques: Menace dans le Saint-Laurent”, and as editor and author in the children’s journal “Frontiers for Young Minds”.

A Circular Economy Solution to Plastic Waste in the Beekeeping Industry: From
Prototype to Field Trial

Muhammad Arshad, Kelsey Deutsch, Emily Devereux, Tiffany Smith, Izzy Corvalan,
Deeptha Wickramasekara, Justice Asomaning, Xiaohua Kong

Plastic waste is an increasing concern for many industries due to the potential environmental harm that can occur when plastic waste is not properly managed.
Transforming a linear economy of plastic where the materials are disposed of at their end of life, into a circular economy where plastics become a resource for new products, is one way to address the rising concern. To this end, an opportunity to improve the end of life of beehive foundations used in the industry has been developed in collaboration with the Alberta beekeeping industry. Currently beehives foundations are manufactured from difficult to recycle plastics, such as polystyrene, and are disposed of at their end of life. As such, this work has developed prototype 3D printed beehive foundations from polypropylene as an alternative material to current beehive foundation materials to facilitate recycling of used foundations. A washing procedure has also been developed to remove residue that limit the recyclability of beehive foundations. Each step is an important aspect to address in improving the end of life circularity of beehive foundations in Alberta and beyond.

Targeting Approaches to Facilitate Recycling of Drinking Pouches in Alberta

Kelsey Deutsch, Muhammad Arshad, Emily Devereux, Tiffany Smith, Izzy Corvalan,
Deeptha Wickramasekara, Selamawit Messele, Heather Kaminsky, Justice Asomaning,
Xiaohua Kong

Multilayer drinking pouches pose a challenge for conventional recycling streams and as a result, pouches made form multilayer films are often not recycled within Alberta. Multilayer films can have a complex structure composed of multiple plastics, metals, adhesives, and inks. The combination of materials improves the overall functionality of films relative to one material alone. To facilitate recycling of multilayer films, separation of the different plastics and components is required. To that end, drinking pouches have been characterized to understand composition of pouches commonly found in Alberta. By understanding the complex design of drinking pouches, targeted approaches can be developed for separation or conversion of pouch materials for recycling and value-added processes.

Guest Speaker

Lori Koebel

ABCRC

As Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation’s (ABCRC’s) Director of Sustainability & Stakeholder Relations, Lori leads efforts to drive engagement and awareness in beverage container recycling across Alberta. With over a decade of experience in the deposit return system, she has played a key role in advancing circular economy initiatives, collaborating with industry partners, policymakers, and communities to enhance recovery systems, improve consumer participation, and drive meaningful environmental outcomes. Lori is passionate about leveraging education and communication to accelerate sustainable behavior change and increase return rates.

Guest Speaker

Peter Zhou

Carbon Upcycling

Peter joined Carbon Upcycling Technologies back in 2018 as an early-stage employee in and supported the company through its growth from pre-seed to Series A, and he currently leads advanced material and composites product development at Carbon Upcycling.

He’s passionate about bring together the best plastic value-chain partners and great materials to unleash new applications of thermoplastics. Over the past few years, he has managed collaborations that have launched several 1sts of its kind captured carbon solutions from degradable mulch films, cosmetic packaging, to industry leading performance 3D printing solutions.

On paper, he’s a professional engineer and was trained in chemical engineering, but in action, he’s a self-taught organic chemist with bit and pieces of processing experience in the plastic value chain.

Coupling Low-Cost Near Infra-Red Spectroscopy with Machine Learning: Accelerating Plastics Identification and Impurity Detection in the Recycling Industry

Authors: Mohammed Al-Khayyat, Arash Alizadeh, Salman Obaidoon, and João B. P. Soares*

Presenter: Mohammed Al-Khayyat Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

The shift toward circularity demands cost-effective solutions for monitoring the composition and purity of plastic recyclates. In this project, we explore the integration of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with machine learning to classify polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and their blends in the presence of other possible impurities. By analyzing the wavelengths and frequencies of NIR, one can determine the types and proportions of plastics in recyclate mixtures, while detecting other foreign materials such as fillers. The proposed framework leverages machine learning algorithms to correlate NIR spectral features with polymer properties, enabling rapid and accurate identification of PE, PP, and their blends. Additionally, the system is designed to detect impurities at low concentrations, providing recyclers with a practical tool to improve sorting time and efficiency. This work bridges advanced analytical techniques with scalable, low-cost solutions, supporting the development of high-quality post-consumer plastics for reuse in sustainable applications.

Solvent-Based Characterization of Polyolefin Recyclates: Advanced Tools for Precise Quality Control in Recycling IndustrySelective Dissolution and Precipitation: An Emerging Technology to Complement Mechanical Recycling

Authors: Salman Obaidoon, Arash Alizadeh, Mohammed Al-Khayyat, and João B. P. Soares*

Presenter: Salman Obaidoon Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

The growing demand for sustainable products has driven the plastics sector to increase the use of post-consumer recyclates. However, tailoring the manufacturing processes for these materials often requires a detailed understanding of their microstructure and composition. In this study, we focus on polyolefins and introduce two advanced, solvent-based techniques that are used to precisely characterize molecular properties of polyethylene, polypropylene, and their mixtures. The specially-designed characterization tools presented here are: (1) high-temperature gel permeation chromatography with an IR detector (GPC-IR) and (2) crystallization elution fractionation (CEF). GPC-IR analysis measures the length and composition of polyolefin molecules present in a given recyclate. This information can be expressed in terms of average values or as entire distributions. Complementing this information, CEF offers a more detailed picture about the chemical composition of polyolefin chains being comprised of ethylene, propylene, or other 1-olefin molecular units. These advanced tools can enable recyclers and/or converters to have a precise control over the quality of polyolefin recyclates and to evaluate the suitability of recyclate materials for intended high-end applications.

Selective Dissolution and Precipitation: An Emerging Technology to Complement Mechanical Recycling

Authors: Arash Alizadeh, Mohammed Al-Khayyat, Salman Obaidoon, and João B. P. Soares*

Presenter: Arash Alizadeh Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

Selective dissolution and precipitation (SDP) is a physical recycling process that can separate and recover different types of polymers based on their solubilities in carefully selected solvent/antisolvent (S/AS) systems. This method offers certain advantages over other recycling technologies, including: (i) recovery of purified polymers with qualities equal or very close to those of virgin resins, (ii) preservation of polymer molecular weight and mechanical properties by avoiding chain degradation, (iii) retention of the value added to the material during the polymerization step, (iv) removal of additives, fillers, and odors, and (v) capability to separate multi-material composites, such as multi-layer packaging. The economic viability of SDP technology depends on the proper selection of efficient S/AS systems that can recover the target polymer(s) and allow for the purification and repeated use of the solvent and antisolvent components with minimum energy requirements and associated costs. Like other disruptive technologies, successful adoption of SDP recycling by the industry will depend on economic and market demands. In other words, polymer recyclates obtained from SDP must have acceptable quality but lower prices than virgin resins available commercially.

Beyond the Bag: Harnessing Methanotrophs for Sustainable Biodegradable Plastic Production

Over the past few decades, human activities in agriculture and industry have grown rapidly to meet the increasing demands for food and energy from a growing global population. While these activities are essential, they have also led to a significant rise in greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to global warming and climate change. Among the most potent GHGs is methane, a critical target for mitigation efforts. From biological perspective, methane represents the sole carbon and energy source for methanotrophic bacteria, the only known biotic sink for methane. Beyond their environmental role, methanotrophs have the potential to be used as microbial factories to produce value-added compounds. In addition to methane, methanotrophs can metabolize methanol, commonly known as wood alcohol, which adds up to the utilization of these bacteria as potent biofactories.

A Universal Approach to Characterize Mechanical Behavior for Polymers and Composites: A Case Study on Polycarbonate and Glass-Filled Polycarbonate

Characterizing viscous behavior of polymers is the most challenging task for determining their mechanical behavior, as the model for such a purpose is difficult to identify, especially when the microstructure and its influence on the viscous behavior are unknown. To overcome this challenge, an idea is described here to identify automatically the required model. In this work, polycarbonate (PC) and glass-filled polycarbonate (GF-PC) are used to demonstrate this idea. The current work is focused on the use of multi-relaxation (MR) test to show the viscous behavior, and a common three-branch model and a new five-branch model, both based on Eyring’s law, to simulate the viscous behavior. The preliminary study shows that while the three-branch model could provide accurate simulation of the deformation behavior of PC, the five-branch model is needed for the GF-PC. The study will then examine the feasibility of using computer programming to identify the suitable model automatically, under not only uniaxial loading provided by the MR test, but also multiaxial loading to introduce both tensile and shear deformation. This is on-going research, and the updated progress will be presented in the poster.

Circular Economy: Hard-to-Recycle Plastics from Electronic Waste

InnoTech Alberta has been reviewing the plastic circular economy for Alberta Innovates to identify key technology gaps and innovations in plastic recycling throughout the plastic value chain and to provide potential recommendations for supporting innovative technologies targeting hard-to-recycle plastics such as plastics associated with electronic waste (i.e., e-waste). Indeed, according to the World Health Organization, e-waste is one of the fastest growing solid waste streams in the world. In 2022, an estimated 62 million tonnes of e-waste were produced globally and only 22.3% was collected and recycled. Plastics constitute approximately 20% of e-waste, however, recycling of the plastics is hampered by the presence of brominated flame retardants. InnoTech Alberta is conducting research on ways to recycle the mixed-plastic waste in electronics, so that these plastics can be reused in an environmentally safe and healthy manner. In this research, formulations development, characterization and prototyping of composite material from the residual non-metallic material from e-waste were conducted. The emerging data indicates a significant increase in the mechanical properties of the composite composed of e-waste. In addition, the composites with e-waste plastics slow down significantly flame propagation. These findings not only open opportunities to use the new composite materials in several different applications where performance is required but can also enhance plastic e-waste recycling.

Tri-Dung Ngo

Guest Speaker

Allen Langdon

Circular Materials

As CEO, Allen is responsible for leading Circular Materials through the design, launch and implementation of extended producer responsibility (EPR) programs for paper and packaging in jurisdictions across Canada. This includes Ontario’s new blue box recycling system, the launch of Atlantic Canada’s first EPR program for paper and packaging in New Brunswick, and expansion into Alberta, the Yukon and Nova Scotia in 2025. His mission is to support producers with a robust not-for-profit service offering that advances the circular economy, delivers national harmonization of EPR services and harnesses competitive procurement to provide the best value for producers.

Allen currently serves as an Advisory Board Member for the Washington State Recycling Development Centre.

Guest Speaker

Ryan Parmenter

ECCC

Ryan Parmenter is the Director of Plastics and Marine Litter at Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) where he leads the federal government’s horizontal initiative to advance a circular plastics economy for Canada. This includes working collaboratively to
develop domestic and international measures to reduce plastic waste and pollution. Ryan has held several positions in the federal public service working on a variety of environmental issues and has also worked at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Guest Speaker

Toye Oyedun

NAIT

Toye Oyedun is a professional chemical engineer and accomplished research project manager, boasting over 17 years of expertise in project management, operational process development, process integration, and research engineering, focusing on sustainability and circularity.

He holds a Master’s degree in Advanced Chemical Engineering with Process
Systems Engineering from Imperial College London, UK, and a PhD degree in Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Energy from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Throughout his career, Toye has contributed to diverse projects globally, spanning Academia, Government and Industry. His areas of specialization include greenhouse gas emission reduction, life cycle assessment, plastic waste/municipal solid waste management, clean energy, water footprint analysis, and clean fuel production. Notably, Toye was part of the team that played a pivotal role in advancing bio-economy initiatives in Alberta while working as a research/program
analyst for the Government of Alberta.

Currently, Toye holds the position of Senior Project Manager (Research) for the Plastics Research In Action (PRIA) partnership at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT). In this capacity, he oversees the entire portfolio of projects under PRIA and serves as the research lead for some projects. One notable project is the Testing of Recycled Plastics in Asphalt to determine its viability under
Alberta’s climate conditions.

Guest Speaker

Mehr Nikoo

AB Innovates

Mehr Nikoo is a seasoned professional engineer with dual master’s degrees and over two decades of experience in process and research engineering, as well as project management. Her career includes roles at EPCs, InnoTech Alberta, and various start-up companies. Since June 2018, Mehr has been with Alberta Innovates, where she manages projects focused on utilizing agricultural and forestry residues, diverting plastics and municipal solid waste from landfills, and advancing clean technologies.

In her current role as Program Director for Bioindustrial and Circular Innovation, Mehr leverages her expertise to drive impactful initiatives that promote sustainability and innovation. Recently, she was elected as a board member for the Recycling Council of Alberta, where she advocates for a circular economy in the province.

Guest Speaker

Peter Mirtchev

CIAC

Peter Mirtchev has over 6 years of experience in regulatory advocacy working with industry associations in the chemicals sector. Prior to joining the CIAC Plastics Division, he worked for the Canadian Paint and Coatings Association on multiple regulatory files impacting industry such as Chemicals Management under CEPA, VOC emissions, and Extended Producer Responsibility. He has also worked with the Chemical Institute of Canada where he developed relationships with leading chemistry researchers across all Canadian universities. Prior to transitioning to policy, he obtained a Ph.D in Chemistry, carrying out research on novel materials for renewable energy applications.

Guest Speaker

Meg O’Shea

CPP

Meg is a seasoned change manager with over a decade of experience in economic development, supporting organizational and business transformations for sustainability. As Director of Strategic Initiatives with the Canada Plastics Pact, Meg works directly with industry, government, and other actors to tackle the plastics problem facing society today by creating a circular economy of plastics. She is energized by bringing together disparate fields, objectives, and organizations to collaboratively tackle big gritty challenges.

Guest Speaker

Paul Grenier

Clorox

Paul Grenier started as Manager of Government Affairs at Clorox Canada in 2020 and is responsible for building relationships and partnerships with all three levels of government. He has been focused on sustainability issues since joining Clorox including the transition to EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) in most Canadian Provinces.

Mr. Grenier has also been a leader in consultations on Federal legislation for use of recycled plastics and accurate labelling of compostable and recycled packaging. Prior to Clorox he served 15 years as an elected Councillor in the Niagara Region of Ontario.

First elected to Welland Ontario City Council in 2003, he began three consecutive terms. Grenier was the Chair of Corporate Services Committees from 2009 to 2011 and in 2014. He also served as a director of Welland Hydro Corporation, Chair of Conservation Committee (2006-14). He completed his 11-year tenure on City Council with perfect attendance of 409 consecutive meetings.

As a member of Niagara Regional Council was Chair of Niagara Housing Corporation.
Mr. Grenier started his term on Regional Council in 2014.From 2005-14, was a member of the Ontario Small Urban Municipalities (OSUM) Board and Chair from 2010 – 2012 and concurrently served a member of the AMO (Association of Municipalities in Ontario) executive.

Mr. Grenier, a graduate of Brock University in Economics, has had a long career in
business development and advocacy for Waste, Recycling and Compost industries. He lives in Welland and is married to Wendy Ward, Professor at Niagara College. They have two adult children, Luc, and Claire.

Keynote Speaker

Antoinette Smith
Resource Recycling

Chemical recycling has been touted as the solution for managing our plastics problem, though we’ve heard this before with mechanical recycling claims and still have a long way to go. Join Antoinette Smith, Reporter for Plastics Recycling Update in the US, to learn about chemical recycling; how is it progressing in other jurisdictions around the world, and what lies ahead for expansion in North America?

Antoinette Smith started working as a reporter for Resource Recycling in June 2024 after spending several years covering commodity plastics and chemical value chains. In the role, she keeps abreast of industry trends, with a special focus on analyzing data. She recently relocated to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after living in Houston, Texas, for more than a decade, where she was immersed in the chemical industry.

Innovation – The Trailblazers in Our Industry

Proud Session Sponsor – InterPipeline

In this session on innovation, we’ll hear from the trailblazers working on solutions for managing and manufacturing plastics: where PCR is king and old systems are revamped for in favour of new models that will shape how the industry grows in the next decade and beyond.

Speakers

Walson Tai – Binary Holds

Peter Zhou – Carbon Upcycling

Dow Canada – Elvaloy Paving Project

Dr. Roxana Suehring – TMU

Toye Oyedun – NAIT

Mehr Nikoo – AB Innovates

Linda Garratt – Moderator

National and International Updates – Putting Alberta on the Map

In this session we turn our eyes outward. With the conclusion of INC-5, organizations across Canada are working toward a better future for plastic management. We’ll hear from their perspectives on where international and national policy is headed and get ready to adapt and adjust accordingly with Alberta’s future.

Speakers

Moderator – Lori Koebel – ABCRC

Ryan Parmenter – ECCC (joining remotely)

Peter Mirtchev – CIAC

Meg O’Shea – CPP

Producer Updates Proud Session Sponsor – NOVA Chemicals

With the shift to EPR across Canada, producers of packaging and brand owners have been making big commitments to sustainable initiatives including design for recycling and promises for incorporation of recycled content back into new materials. They must also keep up with regulation differences across jurisdictions and changing markets pressures. In this session we will hear from brand owners and industry members on how they are setting their PCR goals, what changes of course they have made in the past few years and where they see the future of recycled content in their products.

Speakers

Moderator – Allen Langdon – Circular Materials

Charles David Mathieu-Poulin – Circular Plastics Task Force and EEQ

Rob Morphew – Co-op

Anna Rajkovic – NOVA Chemicals

Paul Grenier – Clorox

The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and Inter Pipeline Ltd. have initiated a $10 million, ten-year research collaboration to advance the reuse and recycling of plastic in Canada and around the world. This Plastics Research in Action (PRIA) initiative funds innovative applied research projects, much of which occurs within our 190,000 square feet Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC) that is located on the north side of Main Campus.

As home to much of NAIT’s applied research, PIC features solutions for business innovation – much of which relates to productivity:

Product testing
Technology adoption
Training and certifications
Productivity and innovation
Applied research
Industry conferences and events

We have numerous flexible workspaces that are adaptable in size and functionality, which gives our industry partners and clients a place to expand ideas and explore solutions. The A-wing of PIC is a 40,000 square foot space that houses wet labs, the analytical core, two microgrid controllers, and an advanced manufacturing core.

The building is designed to LEED Building and Construction certification standards, recognizing sustainability in design and construction. Solar panels installed above the glass canopy in the main foyer will generate 58 kilowatts of electricity per hour and will be used in distributed energy research.

Please join us for a tour during the Alberta Circular Plastics Day 2023 hosted by the Alberta Plastics Recycling Association (APRA) at PIC on March 15, 2023

Date: Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Location: NAIT, Edmonton, AB

Productivity and Innovation Centre
10210 Princess Elizabeth Ave NW Edmonton

Return to Alberta Circular Plastics Day 2023 Overview

Schedule and Proceedings – See below for a list of presentations from ACPD 2023.

Sessions

Policy – On the Road – Where are We Now and What’s Up Ahead?

In this session we will hear from national and provincial government officials and industry on the next steps to develop policies around plastics management and organizations whose members and businesses are impacted by these policies. Alberta has just passed EPR legislation and has plans to advance the Natural Gas Strategy which will place the province as a leader in plastics recycling. On the national level, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has released a series of legislation and plans for future policy in the areas of single-use plastic bans, recycled content requirements and a plastic registry for producers of plastic products. Groups like the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP) and Dow Canada work directly with government to navigate these policy decisions. Join this lively discussion as the panel talks about where we are now and what comes next in plastic policy.

Panel:

Jaclyn Schmidt, Executive Director, Water and Waste Policy Branch, Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Timothy Wong, Director, Natural Gas Strategy and Engagement Branch, Alberta Energy
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Susan Young, Manager, Plastics and Waste Management Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Paul Shorthouse, Managing Director, Canada Plastics Pact
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Moderator and panelist: Mike Burt, Vice President & Corporate Director, Dow Chemical Canada ULC
Presentation Deck (PDF)

Barriers to a Circular Economy – Detours and Potholes

In the second session of the day, we have invited a group of experts to review and explain the most common barriers to the advancement of a circular economy.

Recyclers Tony Moucahen from Merlin Plastics and Kevin Kernaghan from Polycyle will talk about the technical challenges of processing material and securing reliable end markets for recycled content (PCR) while Ronald Kumar from Orion Plastics will share information about their success in using PCR in their St. Albert operation.

Anna Rajkovic from NOVA Chemicals will speak on the projects they have advanced around design for recyclability, and developing packaging that incorporates recycled content. Christa Seaman from the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) will discuss how their project has tried to tackle the barriers of investing in technology and innovation by de-risking those investments. The group will talk about these barriers and suggest some opportunities or solutions to explore as we forge ahead on the road to circularity.

Panel:

Tony Moucahen, President, Merlin Plastics
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Kevin Kernaghan, APRA Board Member, President, PolyCycle
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Anna Rajkovic, Circular Economy Market Manager, NOVA Chemicals
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Allen Langdon, CEO, Circular Materials
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Moderator and panelist: Christa Seaman, Acting Vice President, Plastics, Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Innovation and Celebration in Alberta – Paving the Way to a Smooth Transition

Despite the barriers discussed in the second session, there are many examples of successful projects already taking place in the province and beyond. Each of these individuals has taken risks, pushed boundaries and asked “what is possible” for their stakeholders, customers and partners. This is a tremendous learning opportunity from a variety of non-profits, business people, investors, inventers and more!

New Addition 1:30-1:50 pm in the main conference hall: reciChain AB Pilot Panel Discussion:

The reciChain(TM) program is a technology-enabled ecosystem that brings together all the plastic value chain players to enable circularity, tracking and sorting of recycled plastic. By creating a consortium of stakeholders positioned along the value chain, the solution forces a move away from linear stakeholder engagement, where parties only communicate with their upstream or downstream partners, and instead encourages collaborative discussions. This will reduce barriers to communication, increase productivity, and encourage innovation.

The reciChain concept was created by BASF in Sao Paolo, Brazil and tested with an initial proof-of-concept pilot in 2020 in British Columbia, Canada, which proved circularity by tracking the products lifecycle from pellet to pellet.

Now, with the support of Alberta Innovates, the provincial government corporation responsible for promoting innovation in the province, the project landed in Alberta to conduct the next phase of the project, which will see the solution through to a semi-commercial phase.

Relevant players from the plastics value chain in Alberta, including BASF, Cascades, Layfield, London Drugs, Merlin Plastics, NOVA Chemicals, Orion Plastics, [Re] Waste and Waste & Recycling Services from the cities of Calgary and Edmonton, have joined forces in this phase of the reciChain program.

Presentation Deck (PDF)

Panelists:

Benjamin Plantz, BASF Management Consulting
Mehr Nikoo, Senior Manager, Clean Tech, Alberta Innovates
Paul Tas, Director Technical Services, NOVA Chemicals Corp.
Moderator: Lorena Lujan, Innovation and Strategic Partners Leader, BASF Canada

Breakout Presentations:

This session will take the form of breakout presentations. The room will be broken down based on the different presentation topics and in each area, each presenter will be given five minutes to share their updates and then a moderator will host small group discussion and questions for the remaining time (approx. 20 minutes total). Then conference delegates will rotate through the next presentation area. After delegates have been to three out of the four presentations (or an hour of discussion), the room will come back together for a final wrap up and discussion of the key takeaways.

Topic 1: Advancements in agricultural plastics circularity

These experts will share their success in agricultural plastics collection, recycling and remanufacturing – all within Alberta’s borders.

Dan Zembal, PolyAg
Mike Bezboridka, Berry Global
Davin Johnson, Cleanfarms

Topic 2: The future of advanced recycling

NOVA and Enerkem have a pilot program on advanced recycling. Join them as they share the updates on the program. Mehr from AB Innovates will share the organization’s contributions to the project and how they support circular economy initiatives across the industry.

Bill Santos, NOVA Chemicals
Mehr Nikoo, AB Innovates
David Lynch, Enerkem

Topic 3: Leading examples in plastics recycling

The recyclers in this session are pushing the boundaries on what is possible in the industry. Join the discussion to hear about their creativity, how they handle challenges and what’s coming up in their next ventures

Robert Herritt, Styro-go
Corey Saban, Re-Waste
Jonathan Beekman, Full Circle Plastics
Mehdi Pakravan, Polykar
Moderator: Blaire Gaalaas, BCMB

Topic 4: Expanding the circle

The speakers in this session will discuss how they are enabling circularity across sectors including empowering municipalities and businesses across the plastics value chain.

Christina Seidel, Circular Communities, Recycling Council of Alberta
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Susie Jahren, Aion
Presentation Deck (PDF)
Mika Unterman, Apical
Moderator: Guy West, Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation

NAIT Tour: Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC)

As home to much of NAIT’s applied research, PIC features solutions for business innovation – much of which relates to productivity:

Product testing
Technology adoption
Training and certifications
Productivity and innovation
Applied research
Industry conferences and events

Please join us for a tour during the Alberta Circular Plastics Day 2023 hosted by the Alberta Plastics Recycling Association (APRA) at PIC on March 15, 2023

Jaclyn SchmidtExecutive Director for the Water and Waste Policy Branch at Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

Tim WongDirector, Natural Gas Strategy and Engagement Branch, Alberta Energy

Susan Young

Paul ShorthouseManaging Director, Circular Economy Leadership Canada

Michael Burt, BSc., MBAVice President & Corporate DirectorDow Chemical Canada ULC

Tony MoucachenPresident, Merlin Plastics

Kevin KernaghanAPRA Board Member, President of PolyCycle Environmental

Anna RajkovicCircular Economy Market Manager, NOVA Chemicals

Allen LangdonChief Executive Officer, Circular Materials

Christa SeamanActing Vice President,Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Benjamin PlantzManagement Consulting, BASF Corporation

Mehr Nikoo

Paul TasDirector of Polyethylene Technical Services,NOVA Chemicals

Lorena Lujan RubioInnovation and Strategic Partners Leader,BASF Canada

Dan ZembalPolyAg Recycling

Mike BezboridkaQuality Assurance Manager, Berry Global

Davin JohnsonProgram Advisor, Cleanfarms Inc.

Bill Santos Director, Future Focus R&D – Innovation, NOVA Chemicals

David LynchGeneral Manager, Research and Development,Enerkem Inc

Robert HerrittStyro-Go

Corey Saban Founder and CEO, Re-Waste

Jonathan BeekmanFounder, Full Circle Plastics

Mehdi PakravanPolykar,Director of Quality Assurance and Technical Services

Blaire GaalaasPresident, Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB)

Christina SeidelExecutive Director,Recycling Council of Alberta

Susie JahrenAION

Guy WestPresident and CEO of Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation

Exhibitor

Peer Pallets Inc

Turning Agricultural Waste into Biodegradable Packaging: Rapeseed Protein as aPlastic Alternative

Exhibitor

Curtis Ltd

Low Concentration Microplastic Detection through Raman Spectroscopy Probe

Guest Speaker

Walson Tai

Binary Holds

Guest Speaker

Dawn Green

DOW

Plastic Recycling and Upcycling via Additive Manufacturing

Guest Speaker

Anna Rajkovic

NOVA Chemicals

Guest Speaker

Charles David Mathieu-Poulin

Circular Plastics Task Force and EEQ

Guest Speaker

Rob Morphew

Co-op Calgary

Exhibitor

RCA

Exhibitor

CIAC

Exhibitor

Inter Pipeline

Exhibitor

NAIT

Exhibitor

REAC

Exhibitor

Circular Materials

Exhibitor

Merlin Plastics

Exhibitor

Varme Energy

Exhibitor

The Mother Earth

Exhibitor

EFS-plastics Inc.

Exhibitor

Cleanfarms

Exhibitor

NOVA Chemicals

Exhibitor

Scion Instruments Canada Limited

Exhibitor

Dow Canada

Moderator

Linda Garratt

Inter Pipeline

Jaclyn Schmidt
Executive Director for the Water and Waste Policy Branch at Alberta Environment and Protected Areas

Tim Wong
Director, Natural Gas Strategy and Engagement Branch, Alberta Energy

Paul Shorthouse
Managing Director, Circular Economy Leadership Canada

Michael Burt, BSc., MBA
Vice President & Corporate Director
Dow Chemical Canada ULC

Tony Moucachen
President, Merlin Plastics

Kevin Kernaghan
APRA Board Member, President of PolyCycle Environmental

Anna Rajkovic
Circular Economy Market Manager, NOVA Chemicals

Allen Langdon
Chief Executive Officer, Circular Materials

Christa Seaman
Acting Vice President,
Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

Benjamin Plantz
Management Consulting, BASF Corporation

Paul Tas
Director of Polyethylene Technical Services,
NOVA Chemicals

Lorena Lujan Rubio
Innovation and Strategic Partners Leader,
BASF Canada

Dan Zembal
PolyAg Recycling

Mike Bezboridka
Quality Assurance Manager, Berry Global

Davin Johnson
Program Advisor, Cleanfarms Inc.

Bill Santos
Director, Future Focus R&D – Innovation, NOVA Chemicals

David Lynch
General Manager, Research and Development,
Enerkem Inc

Robert Herritt
Styro-Go

Corey Saban
Founder and CEO, Re-Waste

Jonathan Beekman
Founder, Full Circle Plastics

Mehdi Pakravan
Polykar,
Director of Quality Assurance and Technical Services

Blaire Gaalaas
President,
Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB)

Christina Seidel
Executive Director,
Recycling Council of Alberta

Susie Jahren
AION

Guy West
President and CEO of Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation

Turning Agricultural Waste into Biodegradable Packaging: Rapeseed Protein as a
Plastic Alternative

A Circular Economy Solution to Plastic Waste in the Beekeeping Industry: From
Prototype to Field Trial