
The plant will recycle 145,000 bales of end-of-life plastic film to make more than 100 million pounds of Syndigo-brand LLDPE.
Workers at Nova’s Connersville, Ind., plant. Photo Credit: Nova Chemicals Corp.
Calgary-based polyethylene (PE) maker Nova Chemicals Corp. has officially commissioned its first PE film recycling plant, in Connersville, Ind.
The facility, called Syndigo 1, is described by Nova officials as “one of the largest and most sophisticated plastic film mechanical recycling facilities in the world.”
The plant covers 450,000 square feet and will recycle 145,000 bales of end-of-life plastic film to make more than 100 million pounds of Syndigo-brand recycled linear low-density PE (LLDPE). “The facility will collect on average 400 bales of plastic film each day, or 14,000 bales each month,” Nova said. “For context, the film collected and diverted from landfills each year is equivalent to filling four professional football fields to the top of the goal posts.”
Novolex Holdings, a plastics packaging maker and long-time Nova customer, will operate the site. Three of four production lines are currently in operation, Nova said, and the facility will be fully operational by the end of 2025. The plant primarily is recycling LLDPE pallet wrap from distribution centres operated by major retailers in the region. Most of the pallet wrap being used by the plant previously would have gone to landfills. The recycled materials are suitable for food and non-food grade packaging applications. Full production is expected by early 2026.
Nova officially opened the plant on May 22, with a ceremony attended by nearly 100 people, including CEO Roger Kearns, Novolex chairman and CEO Stan Bikulege, Indiana State Senator Jeff Raatz, Indiana State Representative Lindsay Patterson and representatives from the offices of U.S. Senators Young and Banks and Congressman Jefferson Shreve.
“Our Syndigo 1 facility is a tangible example of what motivation, collaboration, and market demand can do together,” Kearns said.
Nova is working with several manufacturers and distributors to incorporate recycled PE into flexible packaging, including Charter Next Generation, M. Holland, Osterman & Co., Petoskey Plastics, PolyExpert, Pregis, Sigma Plastics, and Winpak.
As part of its grand opening, Nova announced a US$25,000 donation to Fayette Community Foundation – a non-profit organization in Connersville – to establish the Nova Chemicals Community Impact Fund, which will support local programs and projects, including youth development and education, health and human services and public safety. The donation is eligible for a matching fund grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc.’s GIFT VIII initiative, which doubles eligible contributions. Fayette Community Foundation will receive an additional US$50,000 from Lilly Endowment.