£3.5m boost for West Lothian firm pioneering new type of plastic recycling

A West Lothian start-up pioneering a new type of plastic recycling has been awarded £3.5 million in grant funding.

The backing from Scottish Enterprise, awarded as part of a £9m project, will help ReVentas further develop its proprietary recycling technology, with a particular focus on difficult to recycle plastics such as films found in food packaging. The funding will support the expansion of the company’s pilot facility in Livingston.

Tom Rose, founder and chief executive of ReVentas, said: “Plastics are essential to every part of our lives, but we have not yet delivered workable solutions to deal with them at the end of life.

CEO and founder Tom Rose holding ReVentas' virgin-like recycled film.

“ReVentas is providing a simple, scalable solution that can ensure the waste plastic we produce today is directly used in the products we buy tomorrow. By continuing to develop our technology in Scotland, ReVentas can impactfully contribute to Scotland’s important net zero and circular economy goals.”

The firm’s patented recycling technology uses a chemical solvent to rapidly dissolve waste plastics, filtering the polymer of contaminants including colour and odour, and producing a natural, virgin-like polymer that can be directly used in high value applications such as packaging, automotive and consumer products. The technology operates at low temperatures and pressures, which is said to reduce both process costs and the carbon footprint.

Nicola Anderson, director of scaling innovation at Scottish Enterprise, said: “ReVentas is developing pioneering recycling technology that has the potential to transform how valuable materials are recovered and reused, supporting Scotland’s transition to a more sustainable, circular economy.

“We are proud to have supported ReVentas throughout its growth journey. Over several years, Scottish Enterprise has worked alongside the company to secure international funding, develop a robust intellectual property strategy and unlock the investment needed to scale. More recently, our £2m investment and this R&D grant are helping accelerate the development and commercialisation of technology with significant global potential.

“ReVentas is a fantastic example of Scottish innovation delivering economic, environmental and social value. We look forward to continuing our partnership as the business grows internationally, creates new opportunities for Scotland and helps address some of the world’s most pressing sustainability challenges.”