ReVentas is proud to announce a new Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) with Heriot-Watt University, funded by Innovate UK, to accelerate the next stage of development for our novel dissolution recycling technology.

This 24-month collaboration will bridge research excellence and industrial application, focusing on scaling up ReVentas’ process to deliver commercial-grade recycled plastics with the purity and performance of virgin material — suitable for demanding applications such as food-contact packaging.

A shared mission: bridging innovation and industry

The KTP programme brings together ReVentas’ applied expertise in selective dissolution recycling with Heriot-Watt’s deep academic knowledge in polymer science and process modelling.

Together, the team will explore how purified, mixed post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics — particularly polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) — can be transformed into high-value resins suitable for injection and blow moulding applications that mechanical recycling cannot currently serve.

At the heart of the project is the appointment of a KTP Associate, who will be based primarily at ReVentas’ headquarters in Livingston, working closely with the university’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences at its Riccarton Campus in Edinburgh. This Associate will act as the vital link between research and implementation, helping to embed new scientific knowledge within the ReVentas team and translate it directly into process improvements and market-ready innovation.

Developing the next generation of dissolution recycling

ReVentas’ selective dissolution process represents a new category of physical recycling — one that removes contaminants, inks, and additives from plastics without breaking the polymer chains. The result is a virgin-like material that retains its mechanical and chemical integrity, allowing it to be reused in regulated, high-performance applications.

Through this KTP, the collaborative team will:

  • Optimise dissolution parameters to achieve even tighter control of polymer purity and performance.

  • Link process conditions to material properties, using a combination of laboratory experiments and computational modelling.

  • Characterise polymers and polymer mixtures to better understand how mixed PCR streams can be purified and reformulated for different end-use applications.

  • Develop scalable methodologies to ensure consistent quality across commercial production.

By connecting real-world process engineering with academic insight, the project will strengthen ReVentas’ ability to tailor recycled polymers for specific applications, such as food packaging, where both performance and regulatory compliance are critical.

Knowledge transfer for growth

For ReVentas, this partnership represents both a scientific and strategic milestone. It ensures that the company’s continued growth is underpinned by deep material understanding and validated process control.

The KTP will also embed long-term expertise within ReVentas’ team, enhancing our capabilities in:

  • Polymer material science

  • Mechanical and structural characterisation

  • Wet chemistry and solvent optimisation

  • Analytical chemistry and process validation

  • Process modelling and simulation

These skills will not only strengthen our technology base but also support our mission to make high-purity, circular plastics commercially viable at every scale.

Academic collaboration driving circular innovation

Heriot-Watt University’s renowned experience in polymer research and process engineering makes it an ideal partner for this next stage of development. The university’s team brings decades of expertise in polymer characterisation, thermodynamics, and solvent systems — critical tools for refining dissolution recycling.

Together, we will work to map the full pathway from feedstock to finished product, linking every variable — temperature, solvent, residence time, and filtration — to the resulting polymer structure and purity. This knowledge will help ensure that ReVentas’ output meets the highest standards for food-contact and other sensitive applications, verified through independent testing and regulatory alignment.

We’re excited to begin this next chapter with Heriot-Watt University and Innovate UK — working together to transform how the world thinks about polymer recycling, one purified chain at a time.