Conversion of hard-to-recycle waste into high-value carbonaceous materials

PROJECT COST:

994 810 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

205 682 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

In Quebec, 500,000 tonnes of plastic—and twice that amount of cellulosic waste—are sent to landfills annually; this waste is difficult to recycle due to its heterogeneity, contamination levels, and technological limitations, resulting in overwhelmed landfill sites and disposal costs exceeding $100 per tonne. Furthermore, Quebec’s industry is a major consumer of carbon-based materials—such as carbon black and graphite—particularly in the metallurgy, tire, plastics, and battery sectors.

This project aims to develop an innovative pilot process to convert this waste into high-carbon materials, utilizing pretreatment and carbonization technologies developed by the NRC. The process will be easily scalable through a collaboration with Innofibre and will demonstrate great adaptability regarding both inputs and outputs. It will be developed in partnership with various stakeholders across the value chain to ensure viability for future implementation.

The benefits for partners will be manifold, including reduced landfill costs for recyclers, a virtually free source of raw material for processors, support for manufacturers’ “extended producer responsibility” efforts, and the production of potentially carbon-negative carbon materials. For Quebec, this represents a highly attractive opportunity for economic development and job creation within the framework of a sustainable circular economy.