Opportunity

A throwaway world

Communities all over are struggling with a huge challenge when it comes to waste management and they are often desperate to find new ways to reduce waste sent to landfills and incinerators. More than 1.3 billion metric tons of municipal solid waste is generated around the world every year. Despite all the efforts and programs introduced to recuperate materials that can be recycled or composted, more than 50% of this volume is still landfilled, creating environmental problems and generating methane emissions which are 25 times more harmful than CO2.

While governments are developing policies to address the need for more sustainable energy, including low-carbon transportation fuels, global consumer goods manufacturers are also putting pressure on leading chemical manufacturers to replace hydrocarbon-based products with renewable chemical alternatives to meet the demand of their own customers. However, the challenge to reduce waste remains. Enerkem’s disruptive technology can help address these pressing environmental issues and fulfill the growing demand for greener products or a “cradle to cradle” solution in consumer products.