The Big SHFT: Mike Biddle, Plastics Pioneer

If there was a hall of fame for sustainable business, Dr. Mike Biddle would be one its first inductees. Twenty years ago, the trailblazing plastics engineer launched MBA Polymers in his garage. He was determined to prove that complex polymers from consumer plastics could be recycled into useful raw materials. Mike developed a patented series of techniques for separating and refining plastic waste to produce quality materials for reuse in industry. His innovative recycling process diverts plastic waste from landfills and the ocean while negating the need for new oil-based plastics.  

Today, MBA Polymers is a global enterprise, with large-scale industrial facilities in the US, Europe and Asia. As one of the leading figures in the recycling revolution, Mike was recently honored with the 2012 Gothenburg Award for Sustainable Development, a prestigious prize recognizing him “for combining deep technical expertise and entrepreneurial brilliance with a drive to close the loop.” 

For Mike, it’s all about closing the loop on the waste cycle. “I consider myself an environmentalist,” he says. “I hate to see plastics wasted. I hate to see any natural resource – even human time – wasted.”