Waste Management

Reinforcing recycling, rerouting refuse, and reducing wasteflows

Waste Recovery & Management Tech

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 Based in Norway, Agilyx transforms non-recyclable plastic waste into low-carbon plastic, or plastic intermediates or premium refinery crude oil feedstock. The company uses a pyrolysis process, and the recycling treatment can be customized. Agilyx collaborates with waste service providers, refiners, and municipalities, as well as public and private enterprises for the development of such closed-loop solutions. Founded in 2004, the company went public in September 2020, trading on the Merkur Market operated by the Oslo Stock Exchange. As of May 2021, the company operates in the US, Switzerland, and Norway.
 
 
 Agilyx established a closed-loop commercial-scale polystyrene-to-styrene oil recycling facility in Oregon in April 2018. The plant was stated to have a recycling capacity of 10 tons per day and to be used by two global producers of polystyrene&mdash; AmSty and INEOS Styrolution &mdash; for the processing and manufacturing of consumer goods. Agilyx and Technip Energies (a French engineering and technology company) partnered in August 2022 to develop a chemical recycling facility, TruStyrenyx, to offer a solution for chemically recycling polystyrene into high-purity styrene monomer, suitable for producing new, food-grade plastic products or packaging. The companies have been working with&nbsp; 
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 INEOS Styrolution America
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 to design and engineer the chemical recycling facility,&nbsp; and have advanced a 100-ton-per-day TruStyrenyx chemical recycling facility in Channahon, Illinois with expected completion by 2023.&nbsp;
 
 
 The company entered into a number of partnerships: Styrenics Circular Solutions (a joint initiative to increase the circularity of styrenics polymer, a type of compound used for light weight product) in 2019 to help advance its polystyrene chemical recycling process in Europe; Braskem in 2020 (the largest polyolefins producer) to explore the development of advanced plastic recycling in North America; and NextChem (a subsidiary of Maire Tecnimont Group involved in energy transition technologies) in 2021, to focus on developing several chemical recycling projects for third parties, starting with two projects in Europe and South America. The company also partnered with 
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 Virgin Group
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 in 2022, to research and develop producing lower-carbon fuel from plastic waste. In April 2023, the company partnered with 
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 BioBTX
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 to combine Agilyx's pyrolysis technology for difficult-to-recycle post-use plastics with BioBTX's catalytic technology.
 
 
 The company also formed a 50/50 joint venture with AmSty called Regenyx (uses Agilyx technology in commercial scale converting post-use polystyrene into its original component). Agilyx also formed a joint venture in February 2021, named Cyclyx International, with the oil and gas giant, ExxonMobil, to develop solutions to aggregate and pre-process waste plastic prior to being used as raw material for recycling. Agilyx&mdash;with its 75% stake in Cyclyx&mdash;will benefit through a royalty payment for the feedstock that flows through Cyclyx. Cyclyx plans to develop systems that can collect and sort 300,000 tons of plastic waste per year by 2025 and process 3 million tons of plastic waste per year globally by 2030.
 
 
 
 
 In May 2021, the company confirmed its mid-term project pipeline target (timeline undisclosed), which is able to reach a capacity of 500 tons per day in operation and 1,500-2,000 tons per day in the development stage. This would allow the company to reach revenue of around USD 200-300 million from USD 4.3 million in FY 2020. The company generated a gross profit margin of 44.2% and a net loss of USD 10.1 million during 2020. 
 
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Based in Canada, Debrand offers optimized reverse logistics solutions for retailers and brands using its proprietary software technology–Compass Allocation Engine–which sorts textile waste and returns them into the most suitable out of the six recovery channels–eCommerce, factory sales, production donation, material circularity, fiber recycling, and emerging recycling technologies. This automation sortation engine uses a digital ID tagging system to scan the items and then automatically sort them to their highest-value channels, based on materiality, client preferences, and solution partner constraints.Key customers and partnershipsAs of November 2022, the company’s customers included Lululemon athletica, Everlane, Aritzia, Canada Goose, Groupe Dynamite, FedEx, Air Canada, L Brands, and Loblaws. In 2022, the company was estimated to divert approximately 1,000 tons of used textiles from landfills through resale, recycling, and repurposing channels while marking 125% YoY growth. In October 2023, Debrand partnered with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22889">Coleo</a>, a textile recycling company, to produce circular lanyards for the 2023 Textile Exchange Conference in London, UKFunding and financialsIn <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15108">November 2022 </a>, Debrand received an undisclosed amount of funding from Waste Management, forging a strategic partnership to jointly expand circular solutions across North America.

The intersection of beauty and technology to deliver hyper-personalized products.

Beauty Tech

Geno (Genomatica) is a California-based developer of biotechnology-based alternatives to critical ingredients in cosmetic formulations. The company’s main product for the beauty industry is Brontide, a biobased butylene glycol used as a multifunctional ingredient in personal care products. Brontide can be used for many applications, including as a humectant, a carrier for extracts and actives, a preservative-boosting solvent, and a skin-feel modifier.Geno’s other products include a plant-based nylon, Avela (natural 1,3-butanediol, a ketogenic ingredient for ingestible applications), renewable bio-BDO (bio-1,4-butanediol, a chemical intermediate for use in materials and products, including spandex, footwear, and plastics in electronics), palm oil alternatives across industries, and bio-based fragrances.Key customers and partnershipsGeno has product development partnerships with 1) Unilever, Kao Corporation, and L’Oreal, to scale and commercialize sustainable alternatives to palm oil and fossil fuel-based ingredients in a ~USD 120 million venture aimed at everyday cosmetics, personal care, and cleaning products (June 2022), and 2) Bio-Botanica, to develop a line of botanical extracts using Brontide (April 2018).Geno also has distribution partnerships with 1) Glenn LLC, to distribute Brontide in the US (May 2020), 2) Daicel Corporation, to distribute Brontide in the Asia-Pacific region (October 2019), and 3) Azelis, to distribute Brontide in Europe (March 2019).Funding and financialsIn July 2021, Geno raised USD 118 million in a Series C funding round led by Novo Holdings. The funds were used to scale production, invest in new technologies for sustainable materials development, and accelerate global expansion.

Earth-friendly biotech solutions for the textile, packaging and construction industries.

Bio-based Materials

Based in California, Geno (formerly Genomatica) produces sustainable materials such as plastic and textile fiber made from plant-based alternatives to fossil fuels. The company claims that its bio-based production method lowers environmental impact by 93% compared to status quo methods.&nbsp; The company's Bio-BDO (BDO refers to butanediol which is used in plastic) sustainable material is used in apparel, shoes, electronics, and automotive products. Its Bio-Nylon sustainable fiber is used in clothing and carpets. Geno also offers a sustainable chemical product called Brontide BG which is used primarily in cosmetics and personal care applications. Geno has also&nbsp; launched a new plant-based alternative to hexamethylenediamine (HMDA), a fossil-fuel based chemical used in nylon, coatings, and adhesives. &nbsp;As of July 2021, the company possessed 2,000 issued or pending patents issued for its range of bio-based products. Key customers and partnerships The company also licenses its technology and partners with companies to set up bio-based production facilities. As of July 2021, the company has partnered with companies including Covestro, Cargill, Novamont, Aquafil, ExxonMobil, Clariant, and BASF who will use the company’s bio-based solutions. Covestro, under a new partnership deal signed in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/7923">January 2022</a>, will use Geno’s GENO HMD process for the commercial production of bio-based HMDA. Japanese multinational chemical manufacturer Asahi Kasei also signed an agreement <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9179">in March 2022</a> to use Geno’s bio-based HMDA material and process technology to commercialize nylon 6,6. In 2016, the company built its first Bio-BDO production facility for the Italian bioplastic maker Novamont to produce its “Mater-Bi bioplastics” which is used to make products such as biodegradable, compostable plastic bags, food packages, and coffee capsules. The USD 110 million plant has the capacity to produce 40 million pounds of Bio-BDO per year.&nbsp; Geno also partnered with Cargill in July 2021 to build a USD 300 million commercial bioplastic production plant that will reportedly triple the global production capacity of the Bio-BDO product to 100,000 tons per year when the facility becomes operational in 2024. For its Bio-Nylon product, Geno signed a multi-year agreement with European nylon producer Aquafil in 2020 to build a production facility that reportedly would increase the capacity of the material by 50x. The sustainable nylon material is expected to be used in leading clothing brands globally.&nbsp; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11167">In June 2022</a>, Geno and Unilever jointly invested USD 120 million to launch a joint venture for the commercialization of plant-based alternatives to palm oil and fossil fuel-based cleansing ingredients. Later, Kao Corporation and<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17206"> L'Oréal </a>joined the venture, bringing the collective member revenue to more than USD 100 billion. Funding and financials In 2020, the company reported that it generated revenue of USD 48 million which represents growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 48% since 2016.&nbsp; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4630">In July 2021</a>, the company raised USD 118 million in a Series C funding round led by Novo Holdings. The company expects to use the funds to scale production and accelerate the commercialization of its plant-based sustainable material products globally.

Moving industry forward with next-gen advancements in energy storage and transmission

Alternative Energy

Canada-based Enerkem converts waste into transportation fuels and chemicals. The company produces renewable methanol and ethanol from non-recyclable and compostable solid waste. Ethanol produced by Enerkem is used as a high octane oxygenate in gasoline to reduce its toxicity.Enerkem operated a pilot biofuel facility in Edmonton, Canada, which was capable of recycling upto 40,000 metric tons of waste, annually. As of January 2024, the facility has produced ~5 million liters of ethanol and methanol. As part of this project, Enerkem had a 25-year agreement with the city of Edmonton to recycle 100,000 dry metric tons of waste per year. In February 2024, the company reported plans to retire the facility and focus on the deployment and commercialization of its technology.Key customers and partnershipsEnerkem is developing a biofuel facility at Varennes (Canada) in partnership with Hydro-Quebec. The facility, which is set to come online in 2025, will couple Enerkem’s technology with a 90 MW proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer system to produce 125 million liters of biofuels and circular chemicals from 200,000 metric tons of waste per year.Enerkem is also developing a facility in Tarragona, Spain in partnership with Repsol to manufacture 290 million liters of methanol from non-recyclable waste and residual biomass per year. In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20773">July 2023</a>, Enerkem partnered with Dimeta to begin a feasibility study to examine the development of two large-scale projects to convert waste into renewable and recycled carbon dimethyl ether (DME). The projects are to be developed in Northwest Europe and in the Gulf Coast of the US, with each project expected to produce ~165,000 tons of DME annually from mixed residual waste.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20774">August 2023</a>, Enerkem partnered with Technip Energies where the latter agreed to contribute its expertise in engineering, technology integration, and project delivery to support projects developed by Enerkem.Funding and financialsEnerkem’s <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9646">most recent funding </a>event was an April 2022 CAD 255 million (USD 203 million) round led by Repsol. The funds were to be used to expand Enerkem’s geographical footprint in Europe and to scale up the deployments of its gasification technology.

Debrand uses its own software technology to supply retailers and brands with efficient reverse logistics solutions.

Enerkem is a cleantech company transforming waste into transportation biofuels, renewable chemicals, and everyday products. Through the combination of a proprietary thermochemical technology platform and community-based advanced facilities, Enerkem addresses the challenges of oil dependence and waste disposal.   Enerkem has validated its proprietary technology over a period of 10 years using the solid waste from numerous municipalities and other types of feedstock.  The company’s process and business model are designed to profitably produce cellulosic ethanol from a large municipal solid waste supply.  Enerkem is a private company founded in 2000 by its current senior management. It is majority-owned by institutional, clean-technology and industrial investors, including Rho Ventures, Waste Management, Braemar Energy Ventures, Investissement Québec, Valero, Cycle Capital, The Westly Group, Fonds de solidarité FTQ, and Fondaction CSN.   Headquartered in Montreal, Canada, Enerkem has 170 employees in Canada and the United States.

For over half a century, the DEMERS brand has been a synonym of creativity and authenticity. The exceptional quality of its produce — tomatoes, strawberries, raspberries, peppers and eggplant — results from a balance between cultivation and nature. This family business employs over 200 people, with operations in Saint-Nicolas, Drummondville and l’Assomption.

Renmatix, Inc. (formerly Sriya Innovations) enables the production of chemicals and fuels from cellulosic biomass. The company processes cellulosic sugars to provide intermediaries. It also involves in the conversion of cellulosic sugars into cellulosic ethanol or other advanced biofuels. The company was formerly known as Syria Innovations, Inc. and changed its name to Renmatix, Inc. in April 2011. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Kennesaw, Georgia.

Genomatica develops biobased process technologies that enable a better way to produce widely-used chemicals, from alternative feedstocks, with better economics, sustainability, and performance. Genomatica has earned widespread acclaim for its technology; has commercialized processes for the chemical butanediol (for biodegradable plastics and apparel) and for butylene glycol (cosmetics and personal care), and is working on bio-nylon. Awards include the Kirkpatrick Award, for “the most noteworthy chemical engineering technology commercialized in the world” and the ICIS Innovation Award for its Brontide(TM) butylene glycol.

We believe the time is right to expand chemical recycling, giving post-use plastic a new, circular life by converting this valuable material back into its original building blocks for reuse. By enabling plastic circularity on a global and commercial scale, we aim to play a vital role in accelerating the shift to a low-carbon economy.  We have co-founded Cyclyx International, Inc, a waste plastics management company, to work directly with industry participants to engineer customized plastic recovery programs that supply advanced and chemical recycling facilities.

Recyclebank helps create a more sustainable future by rewarding people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from local and national businesses.

Harvest enables communities to produce renewable energy and high-value soil, mulch and organic fertilizer products from organic materials. The company harnesses the full potential of organic materials by recycling energy and nutrients back into local communities through its energy gardens and its production of nutrient-rich soils, mulches and fertilizers. Harvest owns and operates facilities throughout North America in British Columbia, Ontario, California and throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest states and Northeastern US.

agnion Technologies GmbH, based in Pfaffenhofen a.d. Ilm, Germany, began business operations in 2007. With the support of German and American investors, a company is being built that focuses primarily on decentral generation of Substitute Natural Gas (SNG), which is sometimes also called Synthetic Natural Gas.

Waste Management is a provider of comprehensive environmental solutions services in North America, serving more than 21 million customers in the U.S. and Canada. As part of their strategy, they are committed to developing new waste solutions that can help communities and organizations achieve their green goals, including zero waste. With the largest network of recycling facilities, transfer stations, and landfills in the industry, their entire business can adapt to meet the needs of every distinct customer segment, including municipalities, construction sites, healthcare facilities, commercial buildings, and many others. As North America’s largest residential recycler, its goal is to manage more than 20 million tons of recyclable material each year by 2020. Last year, they managed more than 15 million tons.  Waste Management is also a renewable energy provider.  One of the ways they do this is by recovering the naturally occurring gas inside landfills to generate electricity, called landfill-gas-to-energy. By the end of 2014, they operated over 134 beneficial-use landfill-gas projects, producing enough energy to power nearly 500,000 homes.

<div> Waste Management, Inc. (NYSE: WM) is the largest waste management company in North America, providing comprehensive waste collection, disposal, recycling, and environmental services. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Houston, Texas, Waste Management serves over 21 million customers across residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal markets. Waste Management offers a wide range of services including: <ul> <li> Residential and commercial waste collection </li> <li> Recycling and materials recovery </li> <li> Landfill management </li> <li> Waste-to-energy facilities </li> <li> Hazardous waste disposal </li> <li> Construction waste services </li> <li> E-waste recycling </li> <li> Dumpster rental </li> </ul> As the largest recycler in North America, Waste Management handles nearly 14 million tons of recyclable materials annually. The company operates numerous recycling facilities, landfills, and waste-to-energy plants across its footprint. Waste Management has been investing in innovative technologies to improve recycling efficiency and extract more value from waste streams. In recent years, Waste Management has focused on sustainability initiatives, including expanding its recycling infrastructure, increasing landfill gas-to-energy projects, and transitioning its fleet to cleaner fuel vehicles. The company aims to help customers achieve their sustainability goals while working to reduce its own environmental impact. Waste Management's size and scale position it as a leader in driving advancements in sustainable waste and materials management practices across the industry. </div>

Waste Management Raises Annual Dividend by 10%

Startups offering platforms or software solutions incorporating technologies such as sensors, robotics, and AI to monitor and improve the waste collection process using several methods: identifying optimal waste collection time, connecting businesses and individuals with haulers, optimizing trash pickup routes, and increasing transparency in waste management throughout the production process.

Startups that separate waste by type, either by using robotics or analytics (AI, machine learning), to help streamline the recycling process.

Startups that develop recycling technologies or provide solutions such as AI-based online platforms or algorithm-based predictive solutions to primarily support businesses in their in-house recycling efforts.

Startups developing recycling technologies, including the pyrolysis process or a recycled propylene technology, to convert plastic waste into products such as pure propylene, recycled plastic, crude oil, and furniture.

Startups developing recycling technologies such as polymer recycling, flexible hydrothermal processing, etc., to recycle textile waste into products that include carbon neutral fiber or transform the waste into new products with greater value through upcycling technologies.

Startups developing recycling technologies such as lithium-ion battery recycling processes or a Magnet-to-Magnetä recycling process to convert electronic waste into products that include recycled batteries and cathode materials.

Startups developing recycling technologies to separate materials made by combining two or more materials with different properties (composite materials) and recycle them into secondary use raw materials such as aluminum, plastic, leather, and cardboard.

Startups using proprietary technologies to recycle waste (besides plastic, textile, and electronic waste) into harmless waste materials or into materials that can be used to make household goods, furniture, and construction material.

Startups using recycling technologies such as anaerobic digestion or a chemical process to convert waste into energy.

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 Reju, a German regeneration firm owned by Technip Energies, has partnered with North America's WM and US-based second-hand shop Goodwill to establish textile recycling initiatives. The collaboration aims to create a regional system for textile collection, sorting and recycling.
 Goodwill and WM will be in charge of gathering and sorting discarded textiles for resale, while Reju will make use of non-reusable textiles for regeneration into fresh materials at a proposed facility in the US. This partnership aspires to divert a greater portion of textiles from waste channels, given that less than 1% of worldwide textiles are currently recycled.

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