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Scott Trenor is right where he wants to be.
As technical director of the Association of Plastic Recyclers, Trenor cannot get any closer to the issues, obstacles and opportunities that face the reuse of plastics these days. Trenor brought years of schooling — he has his doctorate — and years of experience to the trade group that promotes plastics recycling.
"I have the job I want. Enabling collaboration and innovation across the supply chain and globe is crucial to improve plastic circularity," he said.
Trenor earned both his doctorate and master's degree in macromolecular science and engineering at Virginia Tech after earlier receiving a bachelor's degree in materials science and engineering at the University of Florida.
"My first plastics job outside of graduate school was at Kraton polymers. What led me to the industry began with an interest in materials during high school," he recalled.
What first piqued his interest in materials science was his father's work with the SR-71 military reconnaissance aircraft engine while he was growing up. "During undergrad, I was drawn to polymers as they seemed to have endless possibilities in terms of chemistries and properties," he said.
After Kraton, Trenor spent a decade and a half at Milliken & Co.'s chemical division working with plastic additives. He ultimately became the plastic additives global sustainability lead and principal scientist before moving to APR in 2023.
"My research has always had a sustainability focus," Trenor said.
"The biggest impact for my career has been the continued drive towards a moving target. We're never going to get to a point where we say we've reached 'sustainability' and we're done. Continuous improvement whether it be a technology that enables increased recycle content or developing design guidance that increases yield or quality in the recycling of consumer products are all wins that we need to continue to build upon," he said.
Trenor said the plastics industry needs to further step up to the plate to improve sustainability.
"Increase transparency and admit past missteps. So much of the plastics industry is shrouded in secrecy and past ills that there is little to no trust when progress is made on the sustainability front. Wiping the slate clean and beginning a new chapter will be key in building trust and helping the world transition to a more sustainable future," he said.
Trenor, who said he is very concerned about the environment and believes companies have a great deal of responsibility in protecting it, believes continued improvements in mechanical recycling will be key for his industry in the years ahead.
"There has been a tremendous amount of research in chemical recycling processes over the last few years that if they scale could greatly increase circularity. That said, it's the incremental improvements in mechanical recycling that I find more interest in," he said.
"From a carbon footprint perspective, there is a wide gap between mechanical recycling and using pyrolysis-based technologies to create recycled feedstocks for recycled materials. Technologies that improve the quality and yield of mechanically recycled materials whether from sortation, deinking, or continuous devolatilization/decontamination will play an ever increasingly important role as we push to reduce waste," he said.
The biggest impact for my career has been the continued drive towards a moving target. We're never going to get to a point where we say we've reached 'sustainability' and we're done."