Chemical Recycling: Clarity Through Science — Webinar Recap
The Recycling Science Council (RSC), in collaboration with Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy, recently hosted an invite-only webinar, Chemical Recycling: Clarity Through Science, bringing together experts across science, engineering, economics, and policy.
The webinar featured presentations from Rachel Meidl, Deputy Director and Fellow in Energy and Sustainability at the Baker Institute; George Huber, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Director of the Center on Chemical Upcycling of Waste Plastics (CUWP), alongside Charles Granger; Debalina Sengupta, Associate Vice President and COO of the Energy Transition Institute at the University of Houston; and Ben Dixon, Partner and Head of Materials and Circular Economy at SYSTEMIQ.
The roundtable discussion included RSC members Marco Castaldi (Chair), Chris Koffler, Steve Goff, and Kevin Van Geem, allowing for a multidisciplinary exchange grounded in both research and real-world experience.
The discussion focused on what the evidence shows about chemical recycling’s role within today’s materials system.
Several themes emerged:
Chemical recycling is not a single technology.
Speakers emphasized that chemical recycling encompasses a range of pathways with different operating conditions, outputs, and implications. Treating these technologies as interchangeable can obscure both opportunities and risks.
Complementarity matters.
Panelists consistently framed chemical recycling as a complement to mechanical recycling, particularly for plastic streams that are difficult to recycle mechanically, such as flexible films, multi-layer packaging, and certain textiles.
Scaling is a systems challenge.
Beyond technological readiness, speakers highlighted the importance of feedstock quality, collection and sorting infrastructure, permitting, financing, and long-term offtake in determining whether projects can scale successfully.
Policy and market signals shape outcomes.
Discussions around extended producer responsibility (EPR), recycled content claims, and mass balance underscored the need for clear definitions, transparent data, and adaptable governance frameworks as policy evolves.
Evidence builds trust.
A recurring message was the importance of performance data, life cycle insights, and standards to support informed decision-making by policymakers, investors, downstream users, and the public.
The full webinar recording is available here.
The Recycling Science Council remains committed to advancing evidence-based dialogue and serving as a resource for stakeholders seeking clarity on complex recycling topics.