MSW and unrecycled plastics continue to be a growing international concern. Local solutions are needed to counter the current practices of landfilling this waste, burning in open-air incinerators, or the unfortunate dumping in oceans. A recent study found that since the 1950’s, 91% of plastic produced has not been recycled. Up until recently, most of US plastic scrap was purchased by China. However, they enacted China’s “National Sword” in 2018, which banned the importation of this material for recycling. As a result, it is estimated that less than 5% of US trash is being recycled today.

Litigation over the lack of recycling is also gaining favor, which is putting further pressure on these already weak markets. As an example, major beverage bottlers are being sued for not recycling their plastic bottle waste as it is estimated that between 8 and 20 million tons of plastic is ending up in the oceans each year. The problems keep getting larger as landfills approach capacity, open-air incinerators are shuttering due to the association with respiratory ailments, and marine waste is destroying our oceanic biodiversity. 

SynSel is responding to these crises with multiple win/win environmental solutions while also strengthening local economies through job creation.

SynSel plants are in development to have the flexibility of using Municipal Solid Waste as a biomass feedstock to generate synthetic fuels. The Municipal Solid Waste will be processed into pellets certified by the USEPA to be pathogen-free, non-hazardous secondary material. These plants will typically be located in metropolitan areas close to the source of the Municipal Solid Waste.