Membership Announced in Plastics Industry Association and Polystyrene Recycling Alliance
Aduro Clean Technologies Inc a clean technology company using the power of chemistry to transform lower-value feedstocks, like waste plastics, heavy bitumen, and renewable oils, into resources for the 21st century, today announced its membership in both the Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) and the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance (PSRA), a collaborative initiative of PLASTICS focused on advancing polystyrene recycling solutions.
The PSRA brings together stakeholders from across the polystyrene value chain including resin producers, converters, recyclers, and technology developers to support technical collaboration, data sharing, and infrastructure development. The alliance promotes both mechanical and advanced recycling approaches aimed at improving recovery rates and creating viable end markets for polystyrene materials.
Membership in PLASTICS connects Aduro to a broad network of resin producers, recyclers, converters, and brand owners committed to driving sustainability and circularity in the plastics industry. Through PLASTICS, Aduro will participate in working groups and policy discussions that shape the regulatory frameworks, standards, and infrastructure needed to expand the role of chemical recycling and advanced conversion technologies.
Hydrochemolytic Technology (HCT), developed by Aduro, works with water along with a catalyst at moderate temperatures to cleave carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds in polymers resulting in lower-molecular-weight compounds. Unlike other technologies that rely on high thermal input to effect uncontrolled rupture of polymer molecules, HCT operates under gentler conditions enabling controlled reaction pathways. The catalyzed, selective chemistry of HCT results in higher yields of hydrocarbon products with high functional group purity with minimal loss of polymer feedstock to undesired by-products such as char or heavy tar and gases. Experiments conducted on bench and large lab scale flow-through units have demonstrated the applicability of HCT to convert post-consumer polystyrene into defined hydrocarbon intermediates such as toluene, ethylbenzene, and cumene. These outputs are compatible with downstream chemical infrastructure and require no further upgrading. While further development and validation are ongoing, these results underscore the potential of HCT to produce valuable chemical products and intermediates from difficult-to-recycle feedstocks and reflect Aduro’s technical strength in valorization of waste streams.
By joining the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance, Aduro is contributing to a collaborative industry effort focused on addressing the systemic and material-specific challenges of polystyrene recovery, such as limited collection infrastructure, low recycling rates, and public misperceptions. These challenges are central to PSRA’s mission to expand access to and adoption of both mechanical and advanced recycling solutions. Aduro’s early-stage work converting polystyrene into targeted hydrocarbon intermediates using its Hydrochemolytic Technology aligns with the Alliance’s objectives to support innovation, data sharing, and viable end-market development. Participation in PSRA complements Aduro’s broader R&D across diverse plastic and renewable feedstocks and reflects the Company’s commitment to advancing science-based approaches to circularity.
“Polystyrene recovery rates remain low, and we’re joining the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance to explore how Aduro’s chemical approach can help address that challenge,” said Ofer Vicus, Chief Executive Officer of Aduro Clean Technologies. “Our membership in PLASTICS extends that engagement across the broader plastics value chain, allowing us to contribute to policy, standards, and technical collaboration as the industry moves toward more circular solutions.”
“We’re pleased to welcome Aduro as a new member of both the Plastics Industry Association and the Polystyrene Recycling Alliance,” said Patrick Krieger, Vice President of Sustainability at PLASTICS. “Their participation reflects a shared commitment to advancing recycling solutions and building a more collaborative, innovative, and sustainable plastics industry.”
Aduro is currently constructing its Next Generation Process (NGP) Pilot Plant in London, Ontario. Designed to operate under continuous flow conditions, the NGP Pilot Plant will support the evaluation of Hydrochemolytic Technology (HCT) using real-world feedstocks. Its modular and scalable design enables flexibility for project-specific applications across a range of customer needs. Aduro’s participation in the PSRA complements this development by facilitating technical exchange, sample coordination, and closer alignment with evolving industry requirements.
Polystyrene is a widely used plastic with applications in packaging, food service, construction, and electronics. Global production exceeds 40 million tonnes per year, with North America accounting for approximately 3.4 million tonnes. Despite this scale, most post-consumer polystyrene ends up in landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States, less than 6% of polystyrene packaging is recycled. Foam formats like expanded polystyrene (EPS) present particular challenges, with over 3.6 million tonnes of EPS waste generated annually and limited municipal collection.
In Canada, plastic waste totaled approximately 4.4 million tonnes in 2018, with only 8% recycled. Polystyrene recovery rates are especially low—estimated at around 10%—and only 35% of municipalities include EPS in their residential recycling programs, limiting access to recycling services for this material.
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