Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) film could be considered difficult to recycle, but partners Nova Chemicals Corp. and Novolex Holdings LLC are working to prove it can be done on a large scale in Indiana.
From a sprawling new facility in Connersville owned by Calgary, Alberta-based Nova and operated by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Novolex, the companies aim to mechanically process up to 140 million pounds per year of postconsumer film collected from retailers, distribution centers and takeback programs in Indiana and surrounding states and transform it into Nova’s line of Syndigo recycled polyethylene (rPE) pellets, which then can be used by customers to make packaging for food and nonfood applications.
The facility’s grand opening officially took place May 22, but work has been underway for longer as its four processing lines gradually have started up. As of press time, three are operational, with the fourth expected to come online by 2026. To learn more about the facility, also known as Syndigo1, see this issue’s cover story.
A number of details stick out about this endeavor, but one to take note of is the attention to detail Nova is paying when it comes to not just sourcing the film but also the pellets it ultimately will produce.
When working with its suppliers, Nova and Novolex regularly perform audits on the material and also work to educate the suppliers on how to separate film from other items to ensure the cleanest-possible stream.
In 2024, the facility’s recycling process received a letter of nonobjection from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirming it can produce postconsumer LLDPE suitable for food-contact applications. This spring, Syndigo1 achieved Recycled Material Standard (RMS) certification verifying that the rPE product is 100 percent postconsumer-recycled content.
“The RMS certification is the latest achievement for the Syndigo1 facility, and it underscores Nova Chemicals’ commitment to advancing circular solutions and sustainable packaging for flexible plastics,” Greg DeKunder, vice president of Nova Chemicals business unit Nova Circular Solutions, said in a May announcement.
Lastly, before pellets are shipped to customers, the facility’s testing laboratory will ensure their quality by using many of the same procedures Nova has developed over the years for its virgin products, including tests for taste and odor, as well as the use of a camera that can detect how many gels are in a piece of film—a substance that can break film apart and cause a visual issue.
That testing is in addition to more traditional melt index and density testing, among other practices.
“We’ve had a great response from customers who are required to put mechanically recycled materials into their products,” says Alan Schrob, Nova’s director of mechanical recycling.
If Nova and Novolex have their way, that positive response will amplify in the coming years.
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