Board seat at Europe's chemical recycling industry association comes as EU regulatory framework for circular plastics takes shape and Aduro advances its FOAK Plant at Chemelot, the Netherlands
LONDON, Ontario, Oct. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aduro Clean Technologies Inc. ("Aduro" or the "Company") (Nasdaq: ADUR) (TSX: ACT) (FSE: 9D5), a clean technology company using the power of chemistry to transform lower value feedstocks, like waste plastics, heavy bitumen, and renewable oils, into resources for the 21st century, today announced that Eric Appelman, Chief Revenue Officer, has been elected as a Board Member of Chemical Recycling Europe ("CRE") for the 2026-2028 mandate. The election took place during the CRE General Assembly on September 29, 2026, in Brussels, ahead of the CRE Annual Conference, "Getting Ready for 2030 Targets: Powering Circular Plastics Made in Europe," where Appelman presented Aduro's Hydrochemolytic Technology ("HCT") and the Company's scale-up pathway for the chemical recycling of polyolefins.
CRE is the European trade association representing companies active in chemical recycling technologies and engages with policymakers, industry participants and other stakeholders to support the development of circular plastics markets. Its Board is elected for two-year mandates, bringing together representatives with experience across technology development, project deployment and market development. For the coming period, CRE leadership has identified priorities that include policy frameworks that enable continued investment, stronger demand and offtake for circular materials, implementation of recycled-content and mass-balance provisions, and greater cooperation across the plastics value chain. CRE has also placed increased emphasis on translating European policy objectives into practical conditions that support market growth and future industrial development.
Appelman brings 35 years of experience in the international chemical industry across technical, commercial, innovation and strategic roles. He began his career at Unilever, later served as Technical Director for Marine and Protective Coatings at Sigma Coatings, Europe's second-largest paint company at that time, and as Executive Vice President at Perstorp, a Swedish chemical multinational, with responsibilities spanning innovation, market development and corporate strategy. Before joining Aduro, Appelman spent six years at Brightlands Chemelot Campus, including as Executive VP of Business Development Chief Technology Officer and Marketing & Sales Director. During his tenure, he helped attract approximately 60 innovative companies and startups to the campus and was involved in the Cracker of the Future initiative, which brought together major chemical companies to explore the electrification of steam cracking. Combined with his knowledge of European regulatory frameworks and the Chemelot ecosystem, where Aduro is developing its FOAK Plant, this background provides a relevant perspective for the work of CRE.
CRE's work comes as the European regulatory framework for circular plastics continues to evolve. The Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation ("PPWR") establishes minimum recycled-content requirements across several categories of plastic packaging and requires further rules governing the calculation and verification of recycled content. Separately, EU rules adopted in 2026 for recycled-content calculation in single-use plastic beverage bottles recognize chemical recycling and establish mass-balance accounting where eligible recycled material cannot be physically traced through shared production systems. These developments form part of the broader market and regulatory environment on which CRE is focused.
Aduro continues to advance multiple workstreams supporting the commercialization of HCT in Europe. Operating campaigns at the NGP Pilot Plant are generating technical and product data to support scale-up, while engineering, permitting, site integration and project-development activities continue for the planned 10,000 metric-tonne-per-year FOAK Plant at Chemelot Industrial Park in the Netherlands. In parallel, the Company is progressing feedstock development, customer engagement, downstream product qualification and commercial activities intended to support future deployment. Through his role on the CRE Board, Appelman will contribute to the association's work to advance policy, regulatory and market frameworks that support investment in chemical recycling and strengthen its role in Europe's circular plastics economy.
"Europe is entering an important phase for chemical recycling as circularity objectives translate into market demand, investment decisions and industrial projects," said Eric Appelman, Chief Revenue Officer at Aduro. "CRE brings together companies and perspectives around the practical steps needed to support that progress. I look forward to contributing my experience from across the chemical sector, together with what we are learning through the scale-up work underway at Aduro, while working with fellow Board members and CRE members to support the continued development of chemical recycling in Europe."
"Eric brings deep experience across technology development, market strategy and the European chemical industry, and we believe that experience will be valuable to CRE and its members," said Ofer Vicus, Chief Executive Officer of Aduro. "Aduro is at an important stage in its own scale-up, and our team is intensely focused on the work ahead. At the same time, we believe it is important to contribute experience to the broader industry. We are pleased to support Eric in taking on this additional responsibility and contributing to CRE's work as chemical recycling continues to develop in Europe."
Aduro joined Chemical Recycling Europe in March 2026, expanding the Company's participation in European industry initiatives related to chemical recycling. The 2026-2028 CRE Board is led by Valentijn de Neve of BlueAlp as President, Daniel Odenthal of ARCUS Greencycling as Vice-President and Dimitri Daniels of Helix Projects as Treasurer, with Carlos Monreal of Plastic Energy and Eric Appelman of Aduro serving as Board Members. Aduro congratulates the other members elected to the Board and looks forward to their collective contribution to the continued development of chemical recycling in Europe.
About Aduro Clean Technologies
Aduro Clean Technologies is a developer of patented water-based technologies to chemically recycle waste plastics; convert heavy crude and bitumen into lighter, more valuable oil; and transform renewable oils into higher-value fuels or renewable chemicals. The Company's Hydrochemolytic technology relies on water as a critical agent in a chemistry platform that operates at relatively low temperatures and cost, a game-changing approach that converts low-value feedstocks into resources for the 21st century.
For further information, please contact:
Abe Dyck, Head of Corporate Development / Investor Relations
ir@adurocleantech.com
+1 226 784 8889
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws, including the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, statements regarding Eric Appelman's expected participation in the activities of the Chemical Recycling Europe Board; Aduro's continued engagement with European industry participants and stakeholders; the continued advancement of Hydrochemolytic Technology from pilot operations toward industrial deployment; the use of NGP Pilot Plant operating data to inform the Company's FOAK Program at Chemelot; the planned development and advancement of the Company's FOAK Plant and broader FOAK Program; and the potential relevance of European regulatory, certification, recycled-content, mass-balance and related frameworks to the development and deployment of circular plastics solutions.
Forward-looking information is based on management's current expectations, estimates, projections, and assumptions, and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied. These risks include, but are not limited to, technology development and scale-up risks; delays in advancing the FOAK Program; changes in European regulatory, certification, recycled-content or market frameworks and their implementation; market acceptance of HCT-derived products; the ability to secure and maintain required commercial, feedstock, offtake and project relationships; availability of capital; and other risks described in the Company's public disclosure filings available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information, which speaks only as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable law, Aduro undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information.
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