2026 SPE WORKSHOP: Mechanical and Chemical Recycling for Polyolefins

Workshop

Mechanical and Chemical Recycling for Polyolefins

November 16–18, 2026
All workshop days are from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM ET.
Online

Summary

Join us for a comprehensive workshop series focused on the dual pathways of plastic recycling: mechanical and chemical processes. This four-session series, with each session lasting two hours, will provide participants with a thorough understanding of the current challenges, innovations, and future directions in plastic waste management.

In the first 90 minutes of each session, David Nix will deliver detailed presentations, beginning with an overview of different plastic polymer types and their characteristics, then progressing to the latest advancements in chemical recycling technologies. Topics will also include the environmental impacts of plastic waste, the lifecycle analysis of recycling processes, and best practices for sustainable material recovery. The final 30 minutes of each session will be dedicated to an interactive Q&A segment, providing participants the opportunity to delve deeper into specific topics, clarify technical concepts, and explore practical, real-world applications.

This workshop is targeted at environmental professionals, industry stakeholders, and individuals passionate about advancing sustainable recycling practices. Join us to deepen your technical knowledge and contribute to the development of more effective plastic recycling strategies.

Agenda

November 16, 2026 — Understanding Plastics: Types, Properties, Processing, and Identification — Duration: 2 Hours

Part 1 — What is plastic and why are there different types?

Resin identification codes 1–7
PET and HDPE (plastics 1–2)
PVC and LDPE (plastics 3–4)
Polypropylene, PP (plastic 5)
Polystyrene and other resins (plastics 6–7)

Part 2 — Why different plastics are used

Property differences: soft vs. hard, flexible vs. stiff, fragile vs. durable, and clear vs. colorable vs. black
Processing differences: injection molding, rotational molding, and extrusion
Types and functions of plastic additives

Part 3 — Identifying characteristics and evaluating applications

Compare cups and takeout containers made from different materials
Assess environmental impact, actual recyclability, application performance, marketing claims, and relative cost
Examine challenging-to-recycle items, including juice and shampoo bottles

November 17, 2026 — Mechanical Recycling: From Collection to Reprocessed Resin — Duration: 2 Hours

Post-consumer recycling collection systems
Curbside collection
Sorting and sanitation of post-consumer resin (PCR)
Baling and preparation of recovered plastics
Mechanical recycling steps for polypropylene (PP)
Characteristics of mechanically reprocessed resin
CO₂ generation from plastic production
Appearance and properties of mechanically recycled PCR
Government legislation affecting recycled plastics
New Jersey recycled-content law (NJ 2515)
Washington recycled-content law (HB 1488)

November 18, 2026 — Chemical Recycling: Technologies, Challenges, and Outcomes — Duration: 2 Hours

Part 1 — From virgin resin to recovered feedstock

Virgin resin production, shipment, and conversion into products
Post-consumer collection, curbside collection, sorting, sanitation, and baling

Part 2 — Chemical and advanced recycling pathways

Terminology: advanced, molecular, tertiary, feedstock, depolymerization, non-mechanical, and co-processing
Methods: pyrolysis, catalytic cracking, conventional and plasma gasification, hydrocracking/hydrolysis, plasma and microwave-assisted pyrolysis, chemolysis, co-processing, and pyrolysis thermo-cracking

Part 3 — Performance, challenges, and comparison

Technical hurdles of pyrolysis
Remaining streams: HDPE and LDPE rigid containers; LDPE, LLDPE, and HDPE film; PP rigid packaging and containers
Chemical recycling process steps and associated CO₂ generation
Appearance and properties of chemically recycled PCR compared with virgin and typical mechanically recycled resin
Recycling outcomes: solvent, mechanical, and chemical recycling
Pros and cons of mechanical versus chemical recycling

If you can't attend one or several sessions live, or if you want to review some concepts, the recordings will be available after each session.

Registration Information

SPE Premium Member	$540
SPE Members	$600
Nonmembers	$800

Not an SPE member? Join today and attend this workshop at a discounted rate!

Workshop Packs

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3 Sessions

Level: Intermediate

Total Hours: 6 Hours

Streaming access on desktop and mobile browsers

Instructor

David Nix
President
Green Group Consulting LLC
LinkedIn

(Click for more information)

David Nix is the president and owner of Green Group Consulting and Green Group Reprocessing. In his 34-year career in the plastics industry, his focus has been on polypropylene and recycling. He began his professional life working for two of the largest polyolefin producers in the world, LyondellBasell (Himont/Montell) and Braskem (Epsilon/Sunoco). In his 18 years with these corporations, he held positions in sales, marketing, product development, product management, production, asset management, sustainability, and recycling.

After building experience in the plastic industry, David ventured out by starting a small recycling business and contracting with various privately owned companies. His expertise and skill set helped him develop a large customer base that routinely relied on his technical knowledge. A pivotal role in David’s career was a return to Braskem as the Sustainability and Recycling Leader for the United States. He relished the opportunity to create recycling programs for a large corporation that could begin to make big impacts in the use of recycled resin.

Continuing his vision for greater recycled resin usage and positively impacting the world, David and his son Harrison Nix started Green Group Consulting – a consulting business that interfaces with all aspects of the plastics value chain. They work with MRF’s, collectors, equipment manufacturers, additive producers, mechanical and chemical reprocessors, compounders, converters, brand owners and investors.

Carrying on their commitment to recycling, David and Harrison bought a post-consumer polypropylene recycling business in Albert Lea, Minnesota and renamed it Green Group Reprocessing. The homopolymer PCR product they make is unmatched in the industry. They use a reverse logistics collection system and maintain a proprietary wash system that produces consistently high-quality resin. They have improved production and are adding capacity with new equipment installations.

David holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from the McColl School of Business at Queens University of Charlotte.

Questions? Contact:

For questions, contact Iván D. López.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is designed for professionals across the plastics value chain who make technical, operational, sustainability, regulatory, or investment decisions related to polyolefins and recycled materials, including resin producers, converters, recyclers, MRFs, collectors, equipment and additive suppliers, brand owners, packaging companies, consultants, researchers, and public-sector stakeholders. It is especially relevant to engineers, scientists, recycling and sustainability leaders, product and process developers, operations teams, technical sales professionals, and managers seeking a practical understanding of mechanical and chemical recycling.

Why Should You Attend?

Participants will build a practical, end-to-end understanding of how plastics are identified, selected, collected, sorted, cleaned, mechanically reprocessed, and chemically recycled. The course connects polymer properties and processing methods with real recycling outcomes, recycled-content legislation, CO₂ considerations, and the strengths and limitations of each recycling pathway. David Nix brings 34 years of plastics-industry experience spanning resin production, product development, operations, sustainability, recycling, consulting, and post-consumer polypropylene reprocessing.

Everyday Problems You’ll Address

Distinguishing resin types and understanding why different plastics are used
Evaluating environmental claims, actual recyclability, application performance, and relative cost
Identifying design and material choices that make products difficult to recycle
Understanding collection, sorting, sanitation, baling, and reprocessing constraints
Comparing the quality and properties of virgin, mechanically recycled, and chemically recycled resin
Assessing whether mechanical, solvent, or chemical recycling is appropriate for a material stream
Interpreting recycled-content legislation and its implications for material selection and supply
Understanding technical barriers, CO₂ impacts, and realistic outcomes of pyrolysis and other advanced processes

What You’ll Learn

Identify plastics using resin codes 1–7 and relate each polymer to key properties and applications
Explain how material properties, additives, and processes such as injection molding, rotational molding, extrusion, and blow molding influence recyclability
Map the mechanical recycling pathway from post-consumer collection through sorting, washing, baling, and reprocessed resin
Describe major chemical-recycling terms and technologies, including pyrolysis, catalytic cracking, gasification, hydrolysis, chemolysis, and co-processing
Recognize the technical hurdles and suitable feedstocks for advanced recycling
Compare mechanical, chemical, and solvent recycling outcomes, benefits, and limitations
Discuss CO₂ generation, recycled-resin characteristics, and relevant recycled-content legislation
Apply a more critical framework to packaging and product claims about sustainability and recyclability

Why This Course Matters

Polyolefins are among the most widely used plastics, yet collection realities, contamination, product design, resin compatibility, economics, and policy often determine whether they are actually recycled. As recycled-content mandates and sustainability commitments expand, professionals need to distinguish proven recovery pathways from oversimplified claims. This course provides a technically grounded view of where mechanical recycling performs well, where it reaches its limits, and how chemical recycling may complement—not automatically replace—established systems.