What if the future of recycling isn’t just about managing ‘waste’—but unlocking its value? At Google’s X, the Moonshot Factory, turning moonshots into reality means rethinking the impossible. And in this episode, you’ll hear how that vision could help build a smarter, more circular world—one molecule, algorithm, and bold idea at a time.

Recorded live at SXSW, this episode features Rey Banatao and Peter Chauvel – two of the brightest minds of Google X, the moonshot factory. They’re leading a bold effort to change how the world uses and reuses materials, starting with plastics. With help from AI, robotics, and new molecular data, their team is reimagining how recycling works and how we can build better systems to keep materials in use and out of the landfill.

In this episode we dive into:

• How advanced recycling is opening the door to reuse materials once destined for the bin
• Why the moonshot factory believes plastics can be recycled and remanufactured—without extracting more petroleum
• The role of AI, machine learning and better data are building smarter recycling infrastructure
• How better data is transforming the economics of recycling
• What it takes to try bold ideas from inside one of the world’s most audacious incubators
• What happens when you treat waste as a resource

GUEST BIOS

Rey Banatao, Project Lead, the moonshot factory
Rey Banatao leads X’s Moonshot for Circularity. With a diverse technical and entrepreneurial background, Rey has co-founded and scaled materials science companies focused on novel bio-based and chemically recyclable polymers. Rey’s innovations have been commercialized at scale across multiple industries like sporting goods, built environment, and renewable energy, including the world’s first recyclable wind blade. The World Economic Forum recognized Rey as a Young Global Leader. Rey is also an advisor and investor in numerous sustainable materials startups, an industry advisor to the Department of Energy’s Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts Development Unit at Berkeley National Labs, on the Scientific Advisory Board for the BioP2P (BioProcess to Product) Network, and was a Google for Startups Accelerator mentor for the first Circular Economy program at Google.

Peter Chauvel, Strategy and Operations Lead, the moonshot factory
Peter leads Strategy and Operations for X’s Moonshot For Circularity. X, The Moonshot Factory, is Alphabet’s innovation lab, formerly known as Google[X]. He has nearly a decade of experience in sustainability – working to improve the lives of smallholder farmers, prevent plastics flowing into waterways and oceans, and with the Moonshot Factory on how to create a future without waste.
 
 
 
 
Mia Quinn, Senior Director, Public Affairs at American Chemistry Council Mia Quinn leads efforts to communicate the plastics industry’s major sustainability initiatives. She works to bring together experts to share insights in key areas of sustainability, including public policy, product design, recycling, and infrastructure. She is passionate about collaboration, clear communication, and engaging audiences to learn more about innovation and modern solutions for our communities and our country. Mia has a degree in political science from Washington University in St. Louis. She grew up in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado and is a lifelong Denver Broncos fan. She lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and two sons.