Recycled Plastics Redefined: My Journey of Innovation at Netafim
Looking back at my years at Netafim, I can see a fascinating journey of learning, innovation, and overcoming challenges.
I started working at Netafim before my B.Sc., as a materials engineering student at the Kibbutz Hatzerim production site. What began as a brief training on the production floor turned into a deep passion for manufacturing processes through an unfiltered learning experience in real-world operations.
On the production floor I learned that even the most cutting-edge innovations must remain connected to manufacturing realities. My early hands-on experience showed me how bold ideas can be translated into practical applications. It taught me to ask critical questions and continuously strive for better, more efficient outcomes.
Later on, I moved to Kibbutz Magal and joined the Materials Engineering division, where I provided operational support to Netafim sites around the globe. From that point on, I became immersed in the world of technology and materials, and I haven’t stopped since.
After my years in the engineering department, I joined R&D as a raw material researcher. At that time, Netafim was just starting to explore the use of recycled materials. The concept was simple: turn waste into solutions.
Implementation? - That required a whole new comprehensive insight into the process.
The Challenge: Turning Waste into High-Quality Products
One of the greatest challenges in working with recycled materials is that they don’t always "play nice." They need to be clean enough to process through manufacturing without clogging machinery and, at the same time, durable enough to meet the long-term demands of our products, sometimes with a lifespan of up to 20 years.
I decided to pursue a PhD, aiming to bridge the gap between the needs of the industry and our current knowledge at the Technion Institute. We started challenging established assumptions and existing literature on assessing material lifespan. We wanted to find a method that can correlate laboratory findings with real life, and that can also serve the industry to assess new streams of recycled material.
The goal was not only to understand how recycled materials behave today but also to predict their durability 15–20 years into the future. After countless experiments and many long and frustrating nights, we achieved a breakthrough; we discovered how to predict the potential lifespan of recycled materials compared to prime (virgin), and were able to rate the different materials. Moreover, the correlation with natural exposure was remarkably accurate.
The Breakthrough: Recycled Materials as Good as Prime
One of the most exciting discoveries we made was that recycled materials not only have the potential to match prime materials but, in some cases, can outperform them. That realization was a "wow" moment for us. By carefully analysing and adjusting the accurate stabilizing package, we managed to elevate post-agricultural, post-consumer and post-industrial plastics streams to the same level of quality as prime materials, and sometimes even better.
The Global Need for Circularity
Our work at Netafim reflects a growing and urgent global effort. Today, the world produces around 400 million tons of plastic each year, yet only 9% is recycled. If this continues, by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans. Recycled materials are not just an economic solution, they’re an environmental imperative.
At Netafim, we proudly uphold our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint. Our aim is to reduce the use of prime material to a minimum and thus, to continue integrating recycled materials safely, backed by reliable and data-driven technology.
Sharing Knowledge
I’m proud to say that the method we developed for assessing the lifespan of recycled materials has become a powerful tool. Our next step is to share this knowledge with the world. We’ve already begun collaborations with companies like Tama and Keter, and we’re exploring opportunities to expand into the European market.
Our vision is to position Netafim as a global knowledge hub for recycled materials. We aim to help other industries adopt these methods and enhance their level of sustainability.
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