Grant: Alliance Grants

Despite their abundant and invaluable advantages in a broad spectrum of applications, the rising public dependency on plastics has posed serious social, environmental, and economic concerns. As such, the Government of Canada plans to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030; nevertheless, this challenge is highly reliant on the collaboration of federal, provincial, and territorial governments, in conjunction with the public, academia, and engaged industry members. In concert, the Plastic Recycling Network (PRN) is composed of a multidisciplinary group of faculty members aiming to spearhead the national issue of plastic waste in different perspectives, i.e., technological, environmental, management, social, and policymaking. The network encompasses an interdisciplinary team of researchers from engineering, forestry, management, and psychology, who will work in concert and with onboard industrial partners. PRN envisions to be a key regional and national pillar in the area of plastic waste during the tenure of this grant while attracting external research funding, connecting with a larger number of companies, helping local and national government jurisdictions manage plastic waste more systematically, backed up by science, and being a social influencer through multiple media channels and cultural change initiatives. Furthermore, PRN intends to develop and commercialize affordable 3D printed homes across BC and Canada from recycled plastics, thereby having significant social, environmental, and economic impacts. The broad spectrum of expertise and facilities offered by PRN members in conjunction with the presence of diverse partners would indemnify the success of this initiative.