Pilot Updates & Successes
Nine companies debuting at Vancouver’s Zero Waste Demonstration Site
Vancouver’s landfill use highlights the need to find ways to improve the city’s waste disposal system. Meanwhile, one of the greatest hurdles for companies aiming to commercialize and scale up their technology is the need for industrial space to demonstrate their solutions.
The City of Vancouver and Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) have teamed up to solve both.
The resulting Zero Waste Demonstration Site will demonstrate solutions to help the city reach its aim of becoming zero waste by 2040.
Two things underpin the need for this site: the climate emergency crisis, and the need for demonstration sites to support local innovators. The site will help companies commercialize their technology and connect with investors, partners, and clients.
These nine primarily B.C.-based companies have been given a chance to pilot their technology, and process waste streams like glass, textiles, and even waste from the coffee industry.
Keep reading: Zero Waste Demonstration Site project timeline
Meet the zero waste finalists
These companies represent a range of solutions looking to reduce the environmental impact of waste. Their proposed approaches range from changing plant residues into useful bioproducts to re-manufacturing wood, clothing textile waste, and food waste.
Mosa Technologies | Upcycling glass bottles
Mosa aims to address the devastating environmental impact of wasted glass. This issue is particularly pertinent to B.C., where only 24 percent of glass bottles are recycled. Mosa turns this waste into sustainable glassware.
Takachar | Biochar from organic waste
Takachar’s goal is to increase the amount of plant residues, also known as biomass, which is then economically converted into useful bioproducts. An issue plant-based residues face is that some items are difficult to digest and turn into useful products. Takachar aims to develop small-scale, low-cost, portable systems that will create a new carbon-negative revenue stream from biomass.
Perk Eco Inc. | Upcycling coffee industry waste
Perk Eco collects and upcycles, recycles, or composts coffee industry waste materials from any Canadian postal code. Perk offers simple solutions to coffee shops and cafés to easily sort, then recycle their cups and create other products.
Regenerative Waste Labs | Composting science and solutions
Formed in 2020, Regenerative Waste Labs is a circular economy research consulting firm and testing lab. The firm’s goal is to help companies regenerate waste into healthy, sustainable products. Regenerative Waste Labs also works with regulators to shape policies and standards that foster a thriving circular bioeconomy.
CTK Bio Canada | Biodegradable polymer from agricultural waste
CTK Bio is a Canadian cleantech company that can provide companies with solutions to combat climate change and plastic pollution. CTK Bio is part of a larger conglomerate (Cosmetics Technology Korea) which has over 280 patents and offices around the world.
Swift Eco-Waste Management Inc | Food waste to fertilizer
Swift Eco-Waste Management is working to develop and enhance technologies that convert domestic and institutional organic waste, including sanitary wastewater and cannabis waste, into high-value products – such as pelletized fuel – with minimal environmental impact. The company’s technology includes blenders, a digester tank, a heat exchanger and deodorizer, as well as a pellet machine.
Can-Do! | Building products from upcycled wood
Can-Do! Green Technologies and Services Inc. is focused on reducing and minimizing resource consumption in the planet. Their first mission is to give new life to wood waste by upcycling it into new dimensional lumber under the brand UrbanjacksTM. Through their innovative re-materialization process, they help reduce the costs and amount of material that ends up in landfills and promote the use of renewable resources. Thus, creating a more sustainable and resilient economy while lowering the impact on the environment.
Circularity B.V. | New fabric and clothing from textile waste
Circularity B.V.‘s aims to produce 100 percent circular clothing from pre- and post-consumer textile waste. Their unique selling proposition (USP) is the ability to go from “shred to thread” with a variety of cotton/polyester textile compositions (such as 60% cotton and 40% polyester) and turn the outcome into new garments.
Sepura Home | Garburator and compost bin alternative
Sepura has developed a composting disposal device to replace the standard composting bin. It functions as a food waste separator attached to your sink that will divert food scraps from landfills, and only sends liquids down the drain.
