Drummondville, September 24, 2024 – SOPRALOOP is an innovative initiative implemented by SOPREMA to recycle and recover certain residual materials by transforming them into high performance insulation products for buildings. This circular economy approach demonstrates their ongoing commitment to sustainable development and to reducing their environmental footprint. For several decades, SOPREMA has been a major player in the construction sector. Thanks to SOPRALOOP, the manufacturer is taking the next step by integrating recycling into its manufacturing processes, while meeting the growing need for environmentally friendly solutions in the industry.

What Is SOPRALOOP?

SOPRALOOP is a collection and recycling program for residual materials from paper, cardboard, glassine and polystyrene. These materials are then transformed into thermal and acoustic insulation products at SOPREMA’s Sherbrooke and Sainte-Julie plants, in Quebec.

• Paper, cardboard and glassine: Collected and transformed in Sainte-Julie (QC), these materials are recycled to produce SOPRA-CELLULOSE insulation, made up of more than 80% post-consumer recycled paper and cardboard.
• Polystyrene (PS): Collected mainly from Ecocentres municipalities, it is then sent to the Sherbrooke (QC) plant where it is transformed into SOPRA-XPS insulating panels, with up to 70% recycled and recovered content.

The Environmental Impact

By recovering these residual materials, SOPREMA considerably reduces the quantity of waste sent to landfills, as well as its consumption of virgin petrochemical raw materials. Every year, thanks to SOPRALOOP, nearly 25,000 tonnes of paper, cardboard and glassine, and about 10,000 tonnes of polystyrene are recycled in Quebec, making SOPREMA one of the largest polystyrene recyclers in North America!

SOPREMA Is Looking for Suppliers of Residual Materials

SOPREMA is looking for partner companies that generate more than 20 tonnes of paper, cardboard, glassine or polystyrene annually and would like to take part in their SOPRALOOP initiative!

“At SOPREMA, our ambition to reduce the carbon footprint of our products relies in large part on our collaboration with our suppliers, be they recycling centres, municipalities, non-profit organizations or businesses. This represents a great opportunity to contribute to Québec’s circular economy”, said Pierre-Andre Lebeuf, Sustainable Development Manager at SOPREMA.

To find out more, visit https://www.soprema.ca/en/process-collect-recycle-residual-materials