NOVA Chemicals has announced the commissioning of its first polyethylene (PE) film recycling facility, SYNDIGO1, located in Connersville, Ind. The facility is one of the largest and most sophisticated plastic film mechanical recycling facilities in the world. SYNDIGO spans 450,000 sq.ft. and will recycle 145,000 bales of end-of-life plastic film to produce over 100 million lbs. of SYNDIGO recycled PE (rLLDPE), suitable for food- and non-food grade packaging applications. Full production is expected by early 2026. 

“Our SYNDIGO1 facility is a tangible example of what motivation, collaboration, and market demand can do together,” said NOVA Chemicals CEO Roger Kearns. “At NOVA, we have decades of experience in developing products that make our lives better. As of today, we’re not only a petrochemicals producer but also a recycler of polyethylene. We’re diverting plastic waste from landfills and turning it into new, quality products that help keep our food fresh or safely transport goods and materials to store shelves.”

“Indiana is proud to be the home of NOVA Circular Solutions’ new Mechanical Recycling Facility, which will be an industry leader in plastic film recycling. This facility will support around 125 Hoosier jobs and will be a great asset to the Connersville community as well as another world-class example of Indiana’s leadership in the materials industry,” said Indiana Governor Mike Braun.

In July 2023, NOVA announced the intention to build the facility and work with Novolex to operate the facility, capitalizing on its nearly 20 years of experience in operating plastic film recycling facilities.

In 2024, the facility’s mechanical recycling process received a first-of-its-kind Letter of Non-Objection (LNO) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirming its ability to produce post-consumer rLLDPE that is suitable for food-contact applications. In April 2025, the facility achieved the Recycled Material Standard certification from Green Blue, which verifies that the SYNDIGO recycled polyethylene produced at the facility is 100% post-consumer recycled content. Today, three of four lines are in operation, and the facility will be fully operational by the end of 2025.

“There continues to be high interest from converters, retailers, and brand owners for recycled polyethylene, and our state-of-the-art facility accelerates our ability to meet this demand,” Kearns added. “We can leverage the latest technologies to ensure plastic film is recycled and re-used.”