We are excited to announce that this year, we are working with a Technical Advisory Team (TAT) consisting of leading experts from universities and industry in the field of circular plastics. The TAT will play a crucial role in organizing the parallel sessions related to their expertise and providing updates on technological and system developments during the start plenary program.
As we face incredible challenges in this field, we believe that the expertise and guidance of the TAT will help us shape an impactful program for CPC’23.
Meet the team
Prof. Dr. Sascha Kersten – Chairman TAT
Professor of Sustainable Process Technology – University of Twente
Sascha Kersten will play a key role in the opening session of the Circular Plastics Conference 2023. As the Chairman of the Technical Advisory Team and an influential figure within the Circular Plastics Initiative, Sascha has extensive expertise in sustainable technology and thermochemical conversion of plastics. His impressive academic background and collaborations with top companies and institutions make him a valuable contributor to discussions on the future of circular plastics research during the conference.
Dr. Michael Villet – session 1: Design for a circular economy
Senior Scientist – Covestro
As a Senior Scientist at Covestro, Michael Villet is currently working to develop novel coating resins to help enable the transition to recyclable packaging. His industrial career further includes eight years as a polymer physics expert at DSM, working on topics including functional coatings, reactive extrusion, and circular product design, and follows upon his PhD in the area of polymer simulation at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
During CPC’23 Michael will be moderating the session Design for a Circular Economy. This session will gather voices from across the value chain to discuss design of circular packaging, in the context of the challenging targets and timelines set by the EU’s recently proposed Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation. Concretely, how will we achieve full recyclability of plastic packaging by 2030?
Dr. Ton Vries – session 2: Thermochemical Recycling
Managing Director – BioBTX
Ton Vries is the CEO and co-founder of BioBTX, a company that specializes in catalytic thermochemical recycling. With over 30 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, he completed his PhD at the University of Groningen under Professor Hans Wynberg. Ton is also the Managing Director of Campus Groningen and a board member of PharmaNL, promoting sustainable solutions. He is passionate about creating a sustainable chemical and pharmaceutical industry, and his expertise has made him a sought-after speaker at industry events.
Dr. Jean-Paul Lange – session 2: Thermochemical Recyling
Senior Principal Research Scientist – Shell
Jean-Paul Lange is senior Principal Science Expert at Shell Technology and professor at the University of Twente, the Netherlands, where he is exploring novel catalytic processes for producing fuels and chemicals from non-fossil feedstock such as biomass and plastic waste. Jean-Paul is co-author of more than 115 patents, 70 refereed papers, 10 book chapters and co-editor of 1 book.
Prof. Kim Ragaert – session 3: Mechanical Recycling
Chair of Circular Plastics within Circular Chemical Engineering Department – Maastricht University
Kim Ragaert is full professor at Maastricht University. She leads a research group on Brightlands Chemelot Campus with 2 associate professors, 2 senior researchers, 3 assistant professors and 12 PhDs. Research topics include concepts of quality for recycling, the macromolecular interactions in complex mixes, the effects of contaminations and degradation, design for & from recycling and the balance between different recycling pathways. Interdisciplinary topics include systems thinking for plastics, cost calculation in recycling and how to connect technical quality to LCA.
Kim’s 2017 review paper on plastics recycling has been cited over 1500 times, she was the 2020 European Plastics Recycling Ambassador and co-chair of the steering committee on the well-known 2022 ReShaping Plastics report. She consults for organizations like Plastics Europe, Plastics Recyclers Europe, CEFLEX and ECOS, and works closely with several industrial partners.
Dr. Jan Harm Urbanus – session 4: System integration and business models
Lead Scientist Circular Plastics – TNO
Dr. Jan Harm Urbanus is a Lead Scientist at TNO, specializing in Circular Plastics. With a strong background in environmental science and engineering, his areas of expertise include system integration, plastic system modeling, recycling and process technology, and microplastics. At TNO, Jan Harm leads a team of researchers focused on developing innovative strategies to address plastic waste and promote a circular economy. As respected expert in the field, he is committed to advancing sustainability and fostering collaboration among stakeholders to drive systemic change within the plastics industry.
During the session Jan Harm will be moderating, he will discuss system wide challenges that are facing the plastic value chain to create a set of urgency to steer towards collaboration.
Dipl. Ing. Martin Bender – session 5: Sorting, washing and characterization
co-owner and managing partner – HTP GmbH & Co. KG
Martin Bender is a renowned expert in the field of sorting, washing, and characterization of waste materials. Martin is co-owner and managing partner of HTP GmbH & Co. KG, an independent planning and consulting firm for the recycling and renewables industry. With this company he has contributed to the development of over 100 waste treatment and recycling plants. Martin’s expertise lies in plant engineering for waste disposal and recycling, particularly for plastics, paper, commercial, and production waste from municipal and industrial waste management. His commitment to advancing circular plastics solutions has earned him recognition in the industry.
During the session, Martin will unite scientific advancements in the field with an industrial perspective.
Dr. Marco Brons – session 6: Chemical Depolymerization
Chief Technology Officer – Cure Technology
Marco Brons is an expert in circular plastics and CTO at CuRe Technology. With over 35 years of experience in Polyester process and product development and recycling and his current work at CuRe Technology, Marco has been dedicated to developing innovative solutions for difficult-to-recycle polyester waste streams. His passion for closing the polyester loop and transforming the packaging and textile industries makes him the perfect moderator for the session about Chemical Depolymerization.
During this session, Marco shed a light on chemical depolymerization technologies from a scientific, life cycle and industrial perspective.
Mr. Gijs Langeveld – session 7: Circular Transition of the Plastic Value Chain
Director – Polymer Science Park
Gijs Langeveld is an experienced leader in sustainable plastics. As the Director of Polymer Science Park (PSP) in Zwolle since October 2021, Gijs has driven circular projects and applied recycled materials in new products. His extensive background in the circular plastics industry and strong commitment to sustainable innovation make him a valuable moderator for this important discussion on the future of plastics.
During the session Gijs will focus on the dynamics of supply and demand for quality recyclates. The main question will be “What will be the source of recycled materials for various applications, needed for the circular transition of the plastic value chain?”
Paco Rutten – Session 8: Research Directions
Program Officer – ISPT
Paco Rutten, a driven young professional with expertise in circular plastics and electrification, is set to moderate a parallel session on research directions at the Circular Plastics Conference 2023. As a Program Officer at ISPT, Paco has actively contributed to the Circular Plastics program, working closely with industry leaders to implement sustainable solutions. Alongside his work, Paco has taken part in the National Energy Traineeship, developing his professional skills and broadening his understanding of the energy transition. His engaging presence as a speaker, demonstrated during the opening of the iLinqs-festival, further emphasizes his ability to inspire audiences and foster meaningful discussions on the future of circular plastics research.