Fuelling a circular economy

Enerkem’s waste-to-biofuel technology chemically recycles carbon molecules in waste into added-value products

Imagine giving your living room a makeover using a bright new coat of paint – made from rubbish. Fiction? Not anymore. As countries around the world look for ways to transition from a linear economy – in which we take, make, use and dispose – to a circular economy – where we reduce, reuse and recycle – one innovative Canadian start-up has come up with a revolutionary idea: to develop and commercialise a disruptive technology that uses an abundant resource available everywhere – non-recyclable waste – as a resource to manufacture renewable chemicals.

Communities all over the world are struggling with the often huge challenge of waste management, and they are often desperate to find new ways to reduce waste sent to landfills and incinerators. More than 2 billion metric tonnes of waste is generated around the world every year. Despite the efforts and programmes introduced to recuperate materials that can be recycled or composted, more than 50% of this volume is still landfilled, creating environmental...