Recovering Value from Ocean Plastics

Abstract

The Ocean Plastics Recovery Project was co-founded by Andy Schroeder and Scott Farling with a mission to remove ocean plastics from the natural environment, to identify and develop reuse, recycling, and recovery alternatives for ocean plastics, and to share what we learn with the global community. Our work is divided between four core efforts: collection, outreach, research, and education. In this talk, we will focus on our research efforts including characterization, pre-processing, basic research, mapping of supply and demand, and applied research.

About the Speaker

Scott Farling is a co-founder of the Ocean Plastics Recovery Project and has dedicated his career to recovering value from waste. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, concentration in Polymer Processing, and minor in Environmental Engineering in 1995. After more than a decade in the chemical industry, Scott shifted careers to focus on recovering value from complex waste streams at MBA Polymers, Agilyx Corporation, and Titus MRF Services, where his roles included operations management, process development, waste plastics research, and business development. Scott also serves on the board of Oregon Green Schools, a non-profit dedicated to energizing and engaging students through student-driven activities that advance their understanding and ownership of sustainability.