NOVA Chemicals has commercialized two new mechanically recycled polyethylene grades under its SYNDIGO portfolio, expanding options for non-food flexible packaging applications across North America.
The new grades, SYNDIGO rPE-IN3 and SYNDIGO rPE-IN4, are produced at the company’s SYNDIGO1 mechanical recycling facility in Connersville, Indiana. Both are recycled linear low-density polyethylene resins made from 100 percent post-consumer recycled film.
The products are targeted for general-purpose stretch film applications, including can liners, protective packaging, carry-out bags, overwrap, shrink film, and heavy-duty sacks.
According to Alan Schrob, Director of Mechanical Recycling at NOVA Chemicals, the grades have already been undergoing customer trials.
“These new SYNDIGO grades have been testing tremendously with our customers over the last several months, and we are excited to make them widely available in commercial quantities,” said Schrob. “Our SYNDIGO1 facility shows that film-to-film recycling is very real, and we are thrilled to deliver against our customers’ expectations around quality, consistency, and scale.”
From Stretch Film to New Film Applications
SYNDIGO rPE-IN3 is manufactured from recycled polyethylene stretch films, including pallet wrap collected from distribution centers and back-of-store retail operations. SYNDIGO rPE-IN4 is produced from recycled mixed retail polyethylene film.
For warehouse and distribution operators, the inclusion of stretch film feedstock is significant.
“We process a variety of commercial and industrial films in our facility including stretch film,” Schrob explained. “Performance of the kinds of films that we process are largely dependent on the purity of the bales. In other words, bales of pure stretch film will have a higher yield through our sortation system than bales that have mixed materials.”
That emphasis on bale quality reinforces the importance of source separation programs at distribution centers. Cleaner streams translate into higher yields and more consistent resin performance downstream.
Potential Applications in Pallet Wrap
While the new grades are positioned broadly for flexible film uses, pallet wrap remains an important use case in circular supply chain discussions.
NOVA Chemicals is actively working with brands and retailers to develop closed-loop programs where stretch film collected from distribution centers is recycled into SYNDIGO resins and then converted into new plastic products.
“We are actively working with brands and retailers to create closed loops where material that is collected from their facilities, including distribution centers and back of store, is processed through our facility, converted to high-performance SYNDIGO resins, and then made into new plastic products at our converter customers,” Schrob said. “Those products are then used again by the brand or retailer in a variety of applications.”
Although NOVA did not release detailed comparative performance data in the announcement, Schrob indicated that film performance depends heavily on input material quality and application requirements. As with most mechanically recycled film systems, consistency improves when feedstock is uniform, and contamination is minimized.
Recovery Programs for Retail and Distribution
For reverse logistics managers evaluating stretch film recovery programs, NOVA has formal intake channels.
“Yes,” Schrob confirmed when asked whether programs are available for material recovery at retail. “You can complete the form on our Connersville facility page to begin the process.”
The company’s Connersville facility was commissioned in 2025 and is expected to reach full production capacity of more than 100 million pounds annually in 2026.
That capacity positions the site as one of the larger dedicated film-to-film mechanical recycling operations in North America.
Expanding the SYNDIGO Portfolio
The broader SYNDIGO portfolio already includes:
• A white recycled LLDPE resin for protective packaging and carry-out bags
• A recycled HDPE resin for both food and non-food contact applications
Later in 2026, NOVA expects to introduce a 100 percent recycled LLDPE suitable for food-contact applications.
Mechanically recycled SYNDIGO resins are intended for both rigid and flexible packaging formats, including pouches, bottles, and films.
NOVA Chemicals is exhibiting at the 2026 Plastics Recycling Conference in San Diego, with representatives from NOVA Circular Solutions and Bob’s Grocery Store.
This article is posted by the editorial staff of Reusable Packaging News. To find out more about submissions, please visit our submissions page. For article feedback or advertising information, please contact leblanc.richard@gmail.com.
