Miranda Wang

Last updated
Miranda Wang
Born1994 (age 30–31)
Nationality Canadian
Education University of Pennsylvania (BA)
OccupationTech entrepreneur
Known forCo-founder of Novoloop
Awards Young Champions of the Earth

Miranda Wang (born in 1994), is the co-founder of Novoloop (formerly BioCellection, Inc.), which is a company that aims to turn plastic waste into high-performance materials that can be used in a variety of products. Novoloop's process has the potential to greatly reduce the amount of plastic that enters landfills every year, as well as the amount of CO2 that is emitted by commonly used methods of material production. [1]

Contents

Early life and education

Wang originally became interested in combating the issue of plastic waste from a high school field trip to Vancouver South Waste Transfer Station. Seeing the sheer volume of plastic waste that moved through the station inspired Wang to find a way to recycle such materials. [2]

Wang and her cofounder, Jeanny Yao, attended Magee Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia when they entered the Sanofi Biogenius Canada Competition in 2012. This competition allowed them to work with the help of mentors, University of British Columbia professor Lindsay Eltis, Dr. Adam Crowe, and Dr. James Round, to discover bacteria in the Fraser River that could eat phthalates. They eventually pivoted away from using a biological approach to degrade plastics, but this initial work has been the catalyst of Novoloop's ongoing work to find scalable ways to recycle plastics. [3]

Wang went on to attend the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2016 with a BA in molecular biology with a double minor in philosophy and engineering entrepreneurship. [4] During her time at the university, Wang continued to work with Yao to build their company. They took part in, and won, numerous entrepreneurial competitions and programs at the school. [5]

Novoloop

Upon graduation, Wang has continued to build Novoloop. The company continues to work towards a scalable way to create a sustainable cycle for plastics. The company has developed a multistep process that transforms low density and high density polyethylene (LDPE and HDPE), which is commonly used in disposable packaging, into new and sustainable materials. The company's first material is a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which has comparable performance to many commercial rubbers. In addition to saving the recycled plastic from landfills, the company's process also produces much less greenhouse gas emissions than the production of other materials. [6]

Novoloop decided to focus on innovating ways of recycling polyethylene (PE) plastics because it noticed a lack of technologies on the market that clean these “dirty plastics”. Having developed an economical way of recycling polyethylene (PE) plastics, Novoloop is working to build a fully commercial processing plant. Wang hopes that this plant would be able to recycle tens of thousands of tonnes of plastic a year. [7] To help the company scale, Novoloop has partnered with the cities of San José, along with GreenWaste Recovery. [8]

Awards and recognition

Wang and her company have won numerous awards since they have begun to develop innovative ways of upcycling plastic waste. Notably, Wang was a recipient of the UN Environment Programme's Young Champions of the Earth award. [9] In 2019 Wang also won the Rolex Award for Enterprise, [10] and Novoloop was awarded $25,000 as the runner-up in the Urban Resilience Challenge. [11] Forbes magazine also recognized Wang and Yao in 2019, naming the pair to its 30 under 30 social entrepreneurs list. [12]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Resin identification code</span> Symbol to identify the type of plastic

The Resin Identification Code (RIC) is a technical standard with a set of symbols appearing on plastic products that identify the plastic resin out of which the product is made. It was developed in 1988 by the Society of the Plastics Industry in the United States, but since 2008 it has been administered by ASTM International, an international standards organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling</span> Converting waste materials into new products

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the properties it had in its original state. It is an alternative to "conventional" waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions. It can also prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reducing energy use, air pollution and water pollution.

Thermal depolymerization (TDP) is the process of converting a polymer into a monomer or a mixture of monomers, by predominantly thermal means. It may be catalyzed or un-catalyzed and is distinct from other forms of depolymerization which may rely on the use of chemicals or biological action. This process is associated with an increase in entropy.

Eastman Chemical Company is an American company primarily involved in the chemical industry. Once a subsidiary of Kodak, today it is an independent global specialty materials company that produces a broad range of advanced materials, chemicals and fibers for everyday purposes. Founded in 1920 and based in Kingsport, Tennessee, the company operates 36 manufacturing sites worldwide and employs approximately 14,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic shopping bag</span> Type of shopping bag

In use by consumers worldwide since the 1960s, shopping bags made from various kinds of plastic, are variously called plastic shopping bags, carrier bags, or plastic grocery bags. They a sometimes refereed to as single-use bags—referring to carrying items from a store to a home—although, it is rare for bags to be worn out after single use, and in the past some retailers incentivised customers to reuse 'single use' bags by offering loyalty points to those doing so. Even after they are no longer used for shopping, reuse of these bags for storage or trash is common, and modern plastic shopping bags are increasingly recyclable or compostable - at the Co-op for example. In recent decades, numerous countries have introduced legislation restricting the provision of plastic bags, in a bid to reduce littering and plastic pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bin bag</span> Disposable bag used to contain solid waste material

A bin bag, rubbish bag, garbage bag, bin liner, trash bag or refuse sack is a disposable receptable for solid waste. These bags are useful to line the insides of waste containers to prevent the insides of the container from becoming coated in waste material. Most bags today are made out of plastic, and are typically black, white, or green in color.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic recycling</span> Processes which convert waste plastic into new items

Plastic recycling is the processing of plastic waste into other products. Recycling can reduce dependence on landfill, conserve resources and protect the environment from plastic pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Recycling rates lag behind those of other recoverable materials, such as aluminium, glass and paper. From the start of plastic production through to 2015, the world produced around 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste, only 9% of which has been recycled and only ~1% has been recycled more than once. Of the remaining waste, 12% was incinerated and 79% was either sent to landfills or lost to the environment as pollution.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biodegradable plastic</span> Plastics that can be decomposed by the action of living organisms

Biodegradable plastics are plastics that can be decomposed by the action of living organisms, usually microbes, into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. Biodegradable plastics are commonly produced with renewable raw materials, micro-organisms, petrochemicals, or combinations of all three.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Textile recycling</span> Method of reusing or reprocessing used clothing, fibrous material and rags

Textile recycling is the process of recovering fiber, yarn, or fabric and reprocessing the material into new, useful products. Textile waste is split into pre-consumer and post-consumer waste and is sorted into five different categories derived from a pyramid model. Textiles can be either reused or mechanically/chemically recycled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Upcycling</span> Recycling waste into products of higher quality

Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products perceived to be of greater quality, such as artistic value or environmental value.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Biodegradable bag</span> Bag capable of being decomposed

Biodegradable bags are bags that are capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plastic</span> Material of a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic solids

Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Their plasticity makes it possible for plastics to be molded, extruded or pressed into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptability, plus a wide range of other properties, such as being lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce, has led to their widespread use. Plastics typically are made through human industrial systems. Most modern plastics are derived from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum; however, recent industrial methods use variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton derivatives.

Recycling can be carried out on various raw materials. Recycling is an important part of creating more sustainable economies, reducing the cost and environmental impact of raw materials. Not all materials are easily recycled, and processing recyclable into the correct waste stream requires considerable energy. Some particular manufactured goods are not easily separated, unless specially process therefore have unique product-based recycling processes.

Bottles are able to be recycled and this is generally a positive option. Bottles are collected via kerbside collection or returned using a bottle deposit system. Currently just over half of plastic bottles are recycled globally. About 1 million plastic bottles are bought around the world every minute and only about 50% are recycled.

Biodegradable additives are additives that enhance the biodegradation of polymers by allowing microorganisms to utilize the carbon within the polymer chain as a source of energy. Biodegradable additives attract microorganisms to the polymer through quorum sensing after biofilm creation on the plastic product. Additives are generally in masterbatch formation that use carrier resins such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS) or polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

Plastic roads are paved roadways that are made partially or entirely from plastic or plastic composites, which is used to replace standard asphalt materials. Most plastic roads make use of plastic waste a portion the asphalt. It is currently unknown how these aggregates will perform in the mid- to long-term, or what effect their degradation might have on surrounding ecosystems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Economics of plastics processing</span> Economic aspects of plastic manufacturing


The economics of plastics processing is determined by the type of process. Plastics can be processed with the following methods: machining, compression molding, transfer molding, injection molding, extrusion, rotational molding, blow molding, thermoforming, casting, forging, and foam molding. Processing methods are selected based on equipment cost, production rate, tooling cost, and build volume. High equipment and tooling cost methods are typically used for large production volumes whereas low - medium equipment cost and tooling cost methods are used for low production volumes. Compression molding, transfer molding, injection molding, forging, and foam molding have high equipment and tooling cost. Lower cost processes are machining, extruding, rotational molding, blow molding, thermoforming, and casting. A summary of each process and its cost is displayed in figure 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Recycling in Australia</span> Method of waste management in Australia

Recycling in Australia is a widespread, and comprehensive part of waste management in Australia, with 60% of all waste collected being recycled. Recycling is collected from households, commercial businesses, industries and construction. Despite its prominence, household recycling makes up only a small part (13%) of Australia's total recycling. It generally occurs through kerbside recycling collections such as the commingled recycling bin and food/garden organics recycling bin, drop-off and take-back programs, and various other schemes. Collection and management of household recycling typically falls to local councils, with private contractors collecting commercial, industrial and construction recycling. In addition to local council regulations, legislation and overarching policies are implemented and managed by the state and federal governments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Packaging waste</span> Post-use container and packing refuse

Packaging waste, the part of the waste that consists of packaging and packaging material, is a major part of the total global waste, and the major part of the packaging waste consists of single-use plastic food packaging, a hallmark of throwaway culture. Notable examples for which the need for regulation was recognized early, are "containers of liquids for human consumption", i.e. plastic bottles and the like. In Europe, the Germans top the list of packaging waste producers with more than 220 kilos of packaging per capita.

China's waste import ban, instated at the end of 2017, prevented foreign inflows of waste products. Starting in early 2018, the government of China, under Operation National Sword, banned the import of several types of waste, including plastics with a contamination level of above 0.05 percent. The ban has greatly affected recycling industries worldwide, as China had been the world's largest importer of waste plastics and processed hard-to-recycle plastics for other countries, especially in the West.

References

  1. ↑ "About Us". Novoloop. Novoloop. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  2. ↑ "How Canadian scientist Miranda Wang is tackling our global problem with plastic". The Globe And Mail. The Globe And Mail. 10 September 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ↑ "Wang & Yao: where are they now?". Biogenius.ca. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  4. ↑ "Climate Solutions: Next Generation with BioCellection Co-Founder & CEO Miranda Wang, KARTON Co-Founder Karan Jerath and WellAware Founder and Chair Sarah Evans". The Washington Post . 14 October 2020. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Exit Interview: Miranda Wang C'16, Founder of BioCellection". University of Pennsylvania. Wharton School of Business. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  6. ↑ Kahle, Laurie. "20 Minuets With: Miranda Wang, Cofounder and CEO of BioCollection". PENTA. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  7. ↑ "Recycling Unrecyclable Plastic Waste". rolex.com. rolex. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "Miranda Wang". UCLA Institute of the Environment & Sustainability. UCLA. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "2018 Winners". Young Champions of Earth. The UN. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  10. ↑ "Recycling Unrecyclable Plastic Waste". rolex.com. rolex. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  11. ↑ Klein, Jessica. "This startup just won $75,000 to bring relevant healthcare information to people of color". Fast Company. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  12. ↑ Wilson, Alexandra; Toma, Glenda. "Social Entrepreneurs". Forbes. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
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