Transforming Waste Management To An Endless Loop Of Circularity
Purpose
Driven by purpose, we envision a world in which waste is treated as a valuable resource that can be converted to feedstock for virgin materials. We envision a world in which landfilling and incineration have been replaced with waste conversion processes that support circular economy sustainability. We envision a world where molecules derived from nature’s precious resources can be used and reused in an endless loop of circularity.
We follow science based solutions such as Regenerative Gasification that offers opportunities to solve intractable recycling challenges posed by modern multi-layered, multi material products and packaging. The Consortium for Waste Circularity CWC supports the pursuit of robust and flexible waste conversion solutions through education, research and outreach. CWC seeks to align the Packaging Industry to pledge use of this eco-methanol™ as recycle content that will be plentiful.

Technology-Regenerative Gasification
Regenerative Gasification is a process that achieves higher temperatures than gasification, in excess of 2,000 °C. At such temperatures, organic chemical bonds are broken, and inorganic materials are melted down. Carbon rich organics are primarily converted into synthesis gas (“syngas”), comprised mostly of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Metals and inorganic oxides (i.e. glass/metals) are melted down and recovered as ingots and glassy materials. All products become feedstocks for subsequent value-added commercial applications.
Syngas is a highly versatile chemical feedstock. There is nothing that can be made from fossil fuels that can’t be made from syngas. Ideally, syngas will be converted into feedstock chemicals such as methanol, ethanol, dimethyl ether, acetic acid, etc. to be used for subsequent synthesis by the chemical industry.
Plastics produced from syngas are “virgin plastics” with the same quality and properties of plastics produced from fossil fuels. Waste-syngas-methanol-products/plastics offers a true pathway to the circular economy sustainability.
The Challenge
Our waste crisis is continuing to grow, and today’s technologies alone are not sufficiently robust to capture most materials found in waste. Corrugate/paper is the most recycled material and according to the EPA, 32% is sent to landfill. Plastic is the least recycled material with 91% going to landfill. Landfills serving large cities are quickly reaching capacity, releasing greenhouse gasses to the atmosphere and risking polluting soil and ground water from leachate.
We can solve our waste problem through effective public policies, research, development and industry collaboration that allows us to realize the full potential of Regenerative Gasification recycling technology.
Mission
The mission of the Consortium is to transform the recycling infrastructure through the advancement of economically sustainable waste to syngas technologies.
The Consortium will accomplish its mission through:
- Support education of municipality leadership through land grant University outreach programs
- Advocating for waste to syngas public policies
- Advocating for public policies that drive demand for post consumer resin content
- Collaborate with stakeholders to further advanced recycling projects
- Educational opportunities on the benefits of Regenerative Gasification for all supply chain stakeholders
- Promote R&D for Regenerative Gasification and other technologies by providing funding to the University of Florida’s Advanced Recycling Initiative.
Publications
Earth Day – Supporting All Waste Becoming An Endless Loop of Circularity
Syngas: A Transformative Technology For Waste Circularity
A Circular Pathway For Packaging Waste
"Green Methanol" Is The Packaging Industry's Future!
Packaging Industry Must Claim Waste Derived Recycled Content Syngas
Sustainability Myths, Facts & Path To A Circular Economy
EPR Fact from Fiction - White Paper
Is plasma gasification the solution for plastics and all waste?
Syngas is the key to packaging sustainability
Plasma gasification closes the loop (on sustainability)
Plasma gasification can enable circular economy sustainability for packaging
Presentations
Founding Members
This disruptive transformation of infrastructure requires the collaboration from Brands, Producers, Plastics industry, Packaging Printers, Supply Chain partners to take responsibility and ban together to solve this daunting problem. Together we can make a difference.
Industry leaders who came together to start the Consortium For Waste Circularity and drive this change include:
Our members are committed to share their expertise, fund and demonstrate projects and programs that will recover and create value from all waste.
Leadership

Michael Ferrari
Executive Director
Michael Ferrari is founder and President of Ferrari Innovation Solutions, LLC. Michael has built a worldwide reputation through shopper behavior research, speaking engagements and trade journal articles on the subject of business growth through packaging. Michael completed a successful career at the Procter & Gamble Company. His diverse work experience includes international assignments and his leadership has delivered initiatives to the marketplace for some of the world’s leading billion dollar brands. He served on the Board of Directors for the Flexographic Technical Association, and has been a keynote speaker for numerous international and University events with multiple trade journal publications.

President
Mike Ferrari

Rich St Coeur
Secretary
Rich St Coeur is a 31-year veteran of the Pressure Sensitive Tape industry and is currently the R&D Director for New Technology Platform Development at Intertape Polymer Group (IPG), a global leader in packaging and protective solutions. His responsibilities include oversight of IPG’s process labs and leading the IPG R&D Engineering Team, Analytical Team, and Synthesis Teams. During his tenure at IPG Rich has been granted 9 US Patents in the areas of processing, formulation, and
tape structure.
In his role at as an R&D Director, Rich is challenged to support IPG’s sustainable product design and development vision, a goal that is aligned with the purpose of the Consortium for Waste Circularity.

Secretary
Rich St Coeur

Jason Vande Loo
Treasurer
Jason Vande Loo is a Managing Director of New Business Development for Strategic Markets and Products with Belmark Inc., a flexible packaging, folding carton and label converter located in Green Bay, WI, USA, with two decades of successful experience leading research, application engineering and product development teams. Having directly spear headed the research and implementation of new to the world converting processes and resultant products, Jason connects technology solutions with market demands and consumer needs. A strong believer in using technology to challenge long accepted paradigms, Jason is passionate about defining an impactful and circular end-of-life scenario for packaging. Able to tune a lawn mower engine or a guitar, Jason is one part executive, one part entrepreneur, two parts geek and three parts outdoor enthusiast.

Treasurer
Jason Vande Loo
ACADEMIC COMMITTEE
Guide waste to syngas R&D, share knowledge, articles &
white papers, conduct outreach

Dr. Bruce Welt
University of Florida
Dr. Bruce Welt is a Professor of Packaging Engineering at the University of Florida. As a chemical engineer with advanced degrees in Food Science and Agricultural & Biological Engineering, Dr. Welt has has expertise in polymer science, food process engineering and packaging. Before arriving at the University of Florida, Professor Welt worked for GE Plastics, Nestle and was co-founded Kariba Farms, Inc., a specialty food company. Dr. Welt is a sought after guest speaker at industry events for his broad knowledge of Plasma Assisted Gasification and Vitrification (PAG/V) as a potential solution to solve the comprehensive issue of waste circularity.

Dr. Bruce Welt
University of Florida

Calvin Lakhan, PhD York University, Faculty of Environmental Studies
Dr. Lakhan is a specialist in the field of environmental resource management and economics. Dr. Lakhan is a co-investigator of the “Waste Wiki” project at York University. His research is devoted to advancing understanding of waste management research and policy in Canada. Dr. Lakhan’s current research is in four areas: 1) Evaluating the efficacy of municipal policy instruments used to promote waste diversion, 2) Optimizing the recycling system to achieve increased diversion while minimizing material management costs, 3) Examining the role of race and ethnicity as antecedents to recycling behavior and 4) Encouraging pro environmental behavior among minority and marginalized groups. Dr. Lakhan is widely published in his field with articles and white papers. He holds a Ph.D from the University of Waterloo/Wilfrid Laurier University joint Geography program, and degrees in economics (BA) and environmental economics (MEs) from York University. Waste Wiki: https://wastewiki.info.yorku.ca

Dr. Calvin Lakhan
York university
PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Support CWC through advice on communications, network
connections & awareness of public policy
TED S. YOHO, DVM
Dr. Ted Yoho, DVM has a strong background in the sciences having practiced veterinary medicine for 28 years (University of Florida, Class of 83’). Ted served as a Congressional representative for 8 years representing Florida’s 3rd Congressional District. During his congressional tenure, he served on the agriculture and foreign affairs committees and introduced and passed the BUILD Act which authorized the creation of the United States Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Ted is regarded as a leading opinion on the criticality of waste recovery of rare earth metals from discarded electronic devices as a matter of national security. In addition, Ted was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun from the country of Japan, the Order of the Polar Star from the Country of Mongolia and the highest award given out by the American Farm Bureau Federation - the Golden Plow. Ted has been married to his wife Carolyn for 46 years and they have three grown children.

Ted S. Yoho, DVM
Former Member of Congress
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