Repolywise, an innovative start-up founded by Oxford University researchers, has unveiled its groundbreaking technology, ‘Atomic Scissors,’ designed to tackle the global plastic waste crisis.
Supported by £375,000 in funding from Innovate UK, this revolutionary Atomic Scissors process offers a new approach to recycling hard-to-recycle plastics and promises to make a significant impact on the fight against plastic pollution.
“Our Atomic Scissors technology represents a crucial breakthrough in tackling the global plastic waste crisis,” said Dr Bryan Ng, Founder and CEO of Repolywise.
“By transforming hard-to-recycle plastics into valuable raw materials, we’re not just reducing waste — we’re enabling a circular economy that redefines how we produce and reuse plastics for a sustainable future.”
Atomic Scissors: A new era in plastic recycling
At the core of Repolywise’s Atomic Scissors technology is a highly advanced hydrocracking process that breaks down waste plastics at the atomic level.
Unlike traditional recycling methods, Atomic Scissors selectively degrade plastics like polyethene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) into valuable raw materials.
This innovative catalyst, developed through years of research at Oxford, has already proven its efficiency and high yield in lab-scale tests.
The Atomic Scissors process transforms plastic waste into propane in a single step, which is then sold to the petrochemical industry.
This propane is cracked into olefins, a key ingredient in producing new plastics like polyethene and polypropylene.
This process addresses one of the most significant challenges in plastic recycling, which is turning waste back into high-quality raw materials and closing the loop in the plastic lifecycle.
This innovation is particularly significant for polyolefin plastics, which represent nearly half of the 330 billion kilograms of plastic produced annually.
Traditional recycling methods often lead to ‘downcycling,’ where plastic is repurposed into lower-quality products. In contrast, Atomic Scissors enables these materials to be recycled into high-quality polypropylene, supporting sustainable production.
Scaling for industrial use
Currently, Atomic Scissors operates on a lab scale, handling 2-gram batches of plastic waste. However, Repolywise plans to scale the technology significantly.
The next phase will see an increase to a 2-kilogram batch capacity, with a commercial goal of processing 2 tonnes through a continuous flow process.
This marks a significant step toward the widespread industrial application of the technology.
What sets Atomic Scissors apart is its cost-effectiveness and energy efficiency. Operating under mild conditions and requiring less energy than conventional methods, it offers a more sustainable and economical solution to plastic waste recycling.
Future development
With continued research and development at the AgileLab in Oxford University’s Begbroke Science Park, Repolywise is poised to make a lasting impact.
The start-up is also working towards ISCC certification to ensure the sustainability of its processes. As Atomic Scissors moves closer to large-scale implementation, it represents a critical breakthrough in the global effort to address plastic waste and promote a circular economy.
