Aduro Clean Technologies Inc., a clean technology firm that harnesses chemistry to convert lower-value feedstocks like waste plastics, heavy bitumen, and renewable oils into valuable resources for the 21st century, has announced a multi-year collaboration agreement with ECOCE, A.C. (“ECOCE”), a non-profit environmental civil association based in Mexico. Together, they will evaluate Hydrochemolytic™ Technology (HCT) as a potential chemical recycling solution for flexible and mixed plastic packaging in Mexico, a significant and challenging waste stream identified as a priority by ECOCE.

Source: AduroCleanTech

ECOCE is a non-profit environmental civil association supported by Mexico’s food and beverage industry. It manages Mexico’s national private collective packaging management plan for post-consumer PET, HDPE, aluminum, and other materials on behalf of its member companies. This industry-led initiative acts as a producer responsibility scheme, allowing participating companies to collectively organize and finance the collection and recycling of their post-consumer packaging. Through nationwide collection, educational efforts, and take-back programs, ECOCE coordinates the recovery of post-consumer packaging and channels it into recycling systems across Mexico, a country with approximately 132 million residents. Its membership includes many of Mexico's leading beverage and food brands, establishing ECOCE as a pioneer in PET recovery and recycling while emphasizing the circularity of flexible plastic packaging.

Collaboration Focus

In this collaboration, ECOCE and Aduro will assess the application of HCT on real post-consumer flexible plastic packaging sourced through ECOCE’s collection and management systems. The partnership will involve ECOCE identifying, characterizing, and supplying representative materials while Aduro performs a structured, multi-stage Hydrochemolytic testing program at its development facilities. This will span from laboratory to pilot scale, aimed at evaluating processability, yields, product quality, and potential applications for the resulting liquid products.

Addressing Plastic Waste

The collaboration seeks to tackle one of the most challenging fractions in Mexico’s waste stream: post-consumer flexible plastic packaging. Each year, Mexico generates nearly 60 kilograms of plastic waste per person, totaling an estimated six to seven million tonnes annually. Flexible plastic packaging represents a significant and rapidly growing category within this waste, with recent estimates suggesting around 1.5 million tonnes are generated each year, approximately 1.6 times the volume of PET beverage containers. Due to their complex composition of multiple polymers, layers, inks, and adhesives, these materials often do not fit into existing recycling systems, with many still ending up in incineration, landfills, or the environment.

Hydrochemolytic™ Technology (HCT)

Hydrochemolytic™ Technology (HCT), developed by Aduro, is a patented chemistry platform that operates at moderate temperatures with catalysts to break down large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller, valuable liquid products. In plastic applications, HCT aims to convert mixed and contaminated waste streams, including multilayer and flexible plastic packaging that is challenging to manage mechanically, into liquid hydrocarbons suitable for further upgrading and use as petrochemical feedstocks. Recent independent pilot-scale trials have demonstrated that Hydrochemolytic™ Oil produced from plastics using HCT can be processed with minimal post-treatment, leading to stable furnace operation and olefin yields comparable to conventional fossil feedstocks.

Future Plans

Aduro is advancing HCT through a structured scale-up program, with its Next Generation Process (NGP) Pilot Plant nearing completion and active development for a demonstration-scale plant underway. This includes global site selection and assessments of long-lead equipment.

Based on the collaboration's results, ECOCE and Aduro plan to explore potential business models and market routes that can create value for ECOCE’s associated members, waste collectors, and downstream partners. The findings will help inform future decisions regarding the deployment of HCT-based recycling solutions in Mexico, with options including HCT facilities owned and operated by Aduro, ECOCE members, or licensed third parties, as well as the possible establishment of an Aduro presence in Mexico. Any such projects will require separate agreements and, where applicable, regulatory approvals, depending on the progress of the company’s broader scale-up program.

Timeline and Early Activities

This multi-year, phased collaboration is set to officially commence in January 2026. At each stage, the partners will review findings and determine subsequent steps, ensuring that progress toward potential HCT-based recycling solutions in Mexico is data-driven and aligns with both organizations' objectives.

Even before the formal start, early activities are already underway. This announcement coincides with Aduro’s participation in the 2nd Sustainable Flexible Packaging LATAM conference in Mexico City, where Chief Revenue Officer Eric Appelman will present the collaboration and the role of chemical recycling in managing films and flexible packaging on December 3, 2025. Furthermore, Aduro will share its technology and project plan with ECOCE’s full membership on December 15, 2025, in Guadalajara. Meanwhile, ECOCE leadership is scheduled to visit Aduro’s development facilities in London, Ontario, in January 2026, including a tour of a newly commissioned, fully continuous pilot plant expected to play a key role in the collaboration.