Dr. Joe Ackerman (University of Manitoba)

Bio: Coming to university after a career in food service and another one in construction, Joe has found a niche as manager of the Sustainability in Action Facility at the University of Manitoba. Here his research interests in nutrients, compost optimization, plastic recycling and low carbon construction materials can all be pursued. The best part of the day, however, is showing students a new way to look at a problem.

Dr. David Levin (University of Manitoba)

Bio: David B. Levin is a Professor in the Department of Biosystems Engineering, at the University of Manitoba. Dr. Levin received a Bachelor degree in Environmental Studies (BEs) at the University of Waterloo in 1977, a Master of Science (MSc) from the University of Guelph (in Entomology) in 1979, and a Doctorate (PhD) from McGill University (Virology) in 1987. His research is focused on biotechnologies for sustainability including biofuels, biodegradable polymers, bioremediation, microbial and enzymatic degradation of synthetic polymers, and microbial production of antioxidants. His research is multidisciplinary and integrates microbiology, biotechnology, and genome sciences with bioprocess and biosystems engineering. 

Dr. Bryan Cassone (Brandon University)

Bryan Cassone is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Biology at Brandon University. He earned a B.Sc. at Western University (2002), M.Sc. at University of Guelph (2005), and Ph.D. at University of Notre Dame (2011). His research program uses multidisciplinary approaches to investigate issues pertaining to pest and insect vector biology. This includes research related to plastic biodegradation by insects, most notably Galleria mellonella.

Session Context: We are on the Horns of a Dilemma with the problem of plastic. We are fully dependent on this miraculous substance that also poses a mountain of problems regarding microplastic and solid waste pollution. Carefully engineered over the last century to meet goals of strength, flexibility, solvent and UV resistance, selective gas exclusion and many other traits, plastic is ubiquitous in our material world. Yet, it is so inexpensive that of the 785 million tonnes produced this year, we will throw away 580 million tonnes. Efforts to “simply recycle” have been exposed as largely wishful thinking. Recycling mainly targets packaging – and achieves only a small portion of that, at significant carbon cost. The chemistry of recycling reveals very limited re-melt cycles and unsolved problems with producing safe food-grade recyclate. The newly heralded “advanced recycling” (pyrolysis) requires catalytic cracking and condensers to produce a monomer with a heavy economic and carbon footprint also resulting in PAH byproducts and halogen contaminated residues. Manufacturing economics favours virgin polymer selection: more expensive and less versatile recycled plastic is competing with virgin polymers (which have never been cheaper). This Plenary session will delve into the wicked problem posed by plastic dependance and pose possible solutions. It will explain why the current “Blue Box” system does not work for plastic materials, and explore how synthetic biology, process engineering, composting and entomology can be combined to develop new strategies for plastic degradation.