Polystyvert expands its technology platform to thermoplastics and becomes UpSolv

This makes it possible to treat a very wide range of plastic waste and decontaminate it, thus offering purified and safe resins for many industries.

A strategic shift in line with market demand
Polystyvert became known for its polystyrene (PS) dissolution and purification technology, enabling the development of a robust recycling solution for one of the plastics that posed many challenges to the industry due to its contamination. The recycling of contaminated polystyrene has now been demonstrated, and Polystyvert’s first commercial plant is under development. This first commercial plant is a crucial milestone, as it will allow the technology platform to be deployed even faster to new applications with proven technology.

The company is thus transitioning from a specialization in PS to a technological platform for recycling most thermoplastics. In addition to PS and HIPS (No. 6 plastic) and ABS, which are more mature applications, the company is expanding its activities to most polyolefin-type thermoplastics (PE, PP, and PC), also known as plastics 2, 4, and 5. For example, thermoplastics are widely used, they can be found in shampoo and detergent bottles, caps of various containers, small household appliances, many automotive and electronic parts, and plastic films are thermoplastics.

“With this repositioning, we are diversifying our business model to meet the needs of the market”, said Nathalie Morin, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our technology is attracting strong interest from various industries and thanks to the expertise developed by our team of researchers for more than a decade, we are able to quickly expand our know-how to other types of plastics”, she added.

Dissolution, a proven approach to removing contaminants
Dissolution is a low energy-intensive recycling solution that is generating more and more interest. This approach removes most of the additives that, at the end of their life, become contaminants when it comes to reintegrating recycled resin into new products. The performance of Polystyvert’s dissolution technology is based on its selective and tailored approach. Once the plastic has been dissolved with a selective solvent, the liquid solution goes through various purification processes.

This treatment results in high-quality pellets, which have similar applications to virgin resin. Polystyvert’s technology produces a recycled resin that meets the highest standards required by various industries such as packaging, construction, electronics, automotive, and toys.

Advanced purification technologies
In addition to its dissolution solution, Polystyvert stands out for its ability to develop and patent advanced purification technologies. Its solution is economical and can be deployed on a commercial scale, thanks to off-the-shelf equipment, closed-loop solvents, and optimized processes at low temperatures and low pressure.

The company aims to establish strategic partnerships to accelerate the development of its new applications and contribute to governments’ zero plastic waste goals, both in Canada and internationally.

An upcoming name change to reflect the new capabilities of the technology platform
In the wake of this repositioning, the company is changing its name to UpSolv, in line with its expertise in dissolution and its “upcycling” approach thanks to the high-quality purified resins that the technology platform now makes possible for most thermoplastics.

The name change will be officially made in the coming months. AT
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