Plastogaz, a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), has developed a technology that uses powerful catalysts to selectively convert mixed plastics that cannot be recycled into methane.

Plastogaz is a technology company founded in 2020 that focuses on the development of new processes for the circular economy. Awarded CHF 85’000 by Tech4impact to further its research, the swiss startup is developing a technology that has the potential to considerably reduce the greenhouse gases resulting from the disposal of plastic waste (e.g. through incineration). 

Almost 100 project teams responded to the first call for proposals launched by Switzerland Innovation together with Tech4Impact and partners from the Swiss economy. Six projects were selected based on their degree of innovation, sustainability and technology. The topics addressed by the award-winning projects range from reducing water consumption to renewable heat generation and the improved usability of electronic waste. 

The Plastogaz™ process

The original Plastogaz technology transforms plastic waste into grid-compatible methane. The technology can be declined into other products for other markets. For instance, the startup claims is can also transform mixed plastics into naphtha, which is used in turn to produce new plastics. In the long term and thanks to it’s innovative process, the company aims at converting heterogeneous feedstocks into a single, ready-to-use molecule.

Tech4Impact: A Boost for Innovation Projects

The Switzerland Innovation Tech4Impact initiative aims to help pioneering innovation projects addressing one of six selected UN Sustainable Development Goals achieve a breakthrough. In order to qualify for a subsidy, the proposed project must be based on an advanced technology that will reach maturity and application within the next three years.

The award-winning project teams are to receive a CHF 85,000 grant. The funds are designed to give the innovation projects a considerable boost, make them ready for market launch or allow them to embark on further development. The subsidies are financed by the following innovation partners: ABB, Credit Suisse, Die Mobiliar, economiesuisse, Interpharma, Schindler, Swiss Re Foundation, Swisscom, UBS and Zurich Insurance.

More information is available at: www.sitech4impact.ch

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