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Don Thomson, founder of the Center for Regenerative Design & Collaboration and CRDC MATERIALS Ltd., was named Plastic Waste Innovator of the Year at the 2025 PolyNext Awards & Conference.

The premier global event is dedicated to driving innovation and fostering collaboration in the realm of plastic recyclability and sustainability. Held this year on Oct. 1-2 in Dubai, it aims to bring together industry leaders, innovators, policymakers, and sustainability advocates to spotlight groundbreaking advancements, share best practices, and recognize excellence in sustainable solutions.

Thomson received the award "Excellence in Plastic Waste Solutions – Leaders Award – Plastic Innovator of the Year."

A professional builder who relocated to Costa Rica from his native Canada, Thomson launched the Center for Regenerative Design & Collaboration (CRDC) in 2009 with the mission to develop commercial technologies that end the global dilemma of plastic pollution.

In 2018, CRDC spun out CRDC MATERIALS Ltd., a building materials and machining company that builds modular, low-capex plants to efficiently convert low-value mixed plastic waste into RESIN8®, an innovative line of recycled-content aggregates, additives, and admixtures for sustainable concrete and asphalt applications.

Replacing just 1% of the mined mineral aggregates consumed annually with RESIN8® recycled content could repurpose the same amount of plastics that escape from waste management to pollute rivers, beaches, and oceans every year.

Sharing the PolyNext honor on LinkedIn, Thomson said the award was especially appreciated at a moment when CRDC MATERIALS is in discussions with government and private sector leaders to open the first RESIN8® manufacturing facility in the GCC region.

"This welcomed recognition is a motivational way to get us started (in the region) and is appreciated by all of us at CRDC who work passionately every day to help reduce our massive global waste burden," he said.

Learn more about RESIN8® here.