A UK-based start-up, Repolywise, has pioneered Atomic Scissors technology to tackle even the most difficult-to-recycle waste plastics. Founded by Oxford University researchers, Repolywise has developed a groundbreaking process, backed by £375,000 in grants from Innovate UK, to combat the global plastic waste crisis. This innovative approach represents a significant leap forward in plastic recycling and the fight against pollution.
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Advancing Plastic Recycling with Hydrocracking
Repolywise’s Atomic Scissors technology employs an innovative hydrocracking process that breaks down waste plastics at the atomic level. In current lab-scale testing, this technology has shown effective, selective, and high-yielding degradation of polyolefin samples, providing proof-of-concept for the unique catalyst developed at Oxford. Repolywise is scaling this technology to handle larger plastic waste quantities, from kilograms to tonnes, through a continuous flow process, bringing us closer to a sustainable plastic recycling solution.
Towards a Circular Economy for Plastics
“Our Atomic Scissors technology represents a crucial breakthrough in tackling the global plastic waste crisis,” said Dr. Bryan Ng, Founder and CEO of Repolywise. “By transforming hard-to-recycle plastics into valuable raw materials, we're not just reducing waste—we're enabling a circular economy that redefines how we produce and reuse plastics for a sustainable future." Repolywise's focus on chemical recycling offers a viable pathway to reducing waste and promoting a circular economy.
Driving Plastic Recycling Innovation
Repolywise, founded by Oxford graduates, combines world-class research with practical applications to address plastic waste. CEO Dr. Bryan Ng, with a background in inorganic catalyst systems, launched Repolywise to scale hydrocracking Atomic Scissors technology. After eight years researching fuel-forming catalysis at Oxford, where he contributed to 14 papers, Dr. Ng’s mission is to increase global plastic recycling rates from the current 10% to over 50%.
Meeting the Plastic Recycling Challenge
Driven by the urgency of the plastic crisis, Dr. Ng founded Repolywise to develop a cutting-edge technique using hydrocracking Atomic Scissors technology. This selective process breaks plastics into original components, providing feedstock for new plastics without relying on freshly extracted hydrocarbons. With higher efficiency and reduced energy needs, this innovation marks a significant improvement over existing hydrocracking techniques.
Building on Academic and Industry Support
Repolywise’s growth is backed by Trinity College at Oxford, where Dr. Ng was mentored, and an Oxford-Taiwan Graduate Scholarship supporting his DPhil. The company has secured significant Innovate UK grants to commercialise the technology through its ICURe pre-accelerator program, which helps UK research projects achieve commercial viability. Innovate UK has highlighted Repolywise's technology as crucial to advancing a sustainable and circular plastic economy.
The Process of Plastic Conversion
The Atomic Scissors technology converts plastic waste into propane via a one-step process, which is then sold to the petrochemical industry. Petrochemical companies dehydrogenate or crack the propane into olefins for new polyolefins, such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). This approach helps curb plastic waste and fosters a circular economy by creating raw materials for new plastic products.
Overcoming Conventional Recycling Barriers
Designed to process polyolefin plastics (such as polyethylene and polypropylene) that represent about half of global plastic production, Repolywise’s technology offers a way to recycle these hard-to-recycle materials into high-quality polypropylene, ready for use in new products. Unlike traditional methods, Atomic Scissors technology efficiently breaks down materials with a higher yield and lower energy demands.
Scaling for Commercial Use
Scaling this lab-based recycling technology remains a challenge, as the current process can only handle a 2-gramme batch. Repolywise’s next goal is to increase capacity to 2 kilogrammes, eventually reaching a commercial scale of 2 tonnes. Once scaled, this cost-effective, selective technology will reduce processing costs and expand its reach to more challenging waste plastics.
A Step Forward in Sustainable Plastic Recycling
Fundamental to its cost-effectiveness, Repolywise’s technology works under mild conditions with high selectivity, reducing costs and making it an attractive alternative to conventional recycling. The company is pursuing ISCC certification to validate its mass balance approach, ensuring process sustainability. Further research and development are underway at Oxford University’s AgileLab at Begbroke Science Park to enhance the Atomic Scissors technology.
Leading the Way in Plastic Waste Reduction
With the support of Innovate UK, Repolywise aims to scale Atomic Scissors technology to meet the global demand for sustainable plastic solutions. This pioneering approach offers quarries, recycling facilities, and other industries a reliable path to reduce plastic waste and support a truly circular economy.
