Miranda Wang is part of a generation unwilling to accept plastic pollution as an inevitability. What began as a high school landfill visit in Vancouver would spark a lifelong pursuit — and, eventually, a revolutionary solution. Alongside her classmate Jeanny Yao, Wang began exploring ways to break down toxic plastics. Their early success with bacteria earned them national science awards, but they soon realized the limitations of biological methods in industrial settings. Determined to make a scalable impact, they shifted from biology to chemistry, founding what is now known as Novoloop.
Novoloop’s breakthrough process, LIFECYCLING™, marks a major advancement in recycling polyethylene — a plastic that accounts for nearly half of global waste and is largely deemed unrecyclable. This technology transforms low-value polyethylene into high-performance polyurethane, matching the quality and utility of virgin materials.
This is not just science — it’s now operating in the real world. With support from the Rolex Awards for Enterprise and the Perpetual Planet Initiative, Wang and her team partnered with Aether Industries to build and launch a pilot plant in Surat, India, in early 2024. The facility has already proven it can run continuous operations using real-world polyethylene waste streams, converting them into chemical building blocks that can re-enter the supply chain. It is the first of its kind, and the clearest signal yet that circular plastic solutions are not theoretical — they are commercially and ecologically viable.
The impact is measurable. By 2027, Novoloop aims to divert 25,000 metric tonnes of polyethylene waste from landfills each year. Beyond waste diversion, the initiative offers industries a responsible and scalable alternative to fossil-based plastic production — all while preserving performance and cost-competitiveness.
For Miranda Wang, the Rolex Award was more than recognition — it was a catalyst. It gave her access to critical funding and a global network of innovators committed to solving planetary challenges. Today, as a Rolex Laureate, she exemplifies the Perpetual Planet ethos — one where technological innovation serves not just progress, but the planet.
What Wang and her team have built is not just a company or a process. It is a glimpse into a future where waste has value, and the materials of tomorrow are born from the problems of today.
Learn more about this initiative via Rolex’s Perpetual Planet platform.
