This is number 22 on IE's list of 22 best innovations, a look back at recycling for all plastics.
Stephen Vicinanza
Created: Dec 10, 2022
INNOVATION
/2022/12/09/image/jpeg/0PRDFX3CD6bttt80gdVmw8mY8jwTCTZv7jO1xeIZ.jpg)
22-Plastic
Ibrahim Can/Interesting Engineering
Two companies, Plastonix and Elemental Recycling have done what others could not: they have found technologies that recycle all types of plastic.
This is a real innovation because up until now, there were practically no way to recycle most plastics, especially soft plastic, mixed plastics, and dirty or soiled plastics. That has all changed.
The monumental task of recycling the 380 million tons of plastic disposed of each year, that clog the ocean and beaches throughout the world, has eluded us. Around 80 percent of all plastic ends up in the oceans and landfills.
This is number 22 in Interesting Engineering's series showcasing the best innovations of 2022. Check back to discover more about groundbreaking AI, unique solar panels, new 3D printing methods and much more.
There have been discoveries, such as plastic eating bacteria (takes a long time), a plastic eating enzyme (hard to reproduce), plastic eating mushrooms (only works on certain plastics). The answer was found in technology, as often happens.
Recycling in a recycling plant
What is Plastonix?
A Canadian company, Plastonix has developed a technology that uses several proprietary techniques, that involve a series of methods, systems and chemical agents to reduce any petroleum-derived material into processable chips or a powdered material.
Some of the composite materials that can be made from the chips and powder are, paving materials, paving stones, construction blocks, tile beams, sheets of material, and boards.
The system can process any material derived from petroleum, even mixed types of materials, at the same time. The plastics we can recycle, the plastics we can't, the plastics no one thought anyone could process, can all be mixed together in one batch and turned into chips and powder.
What is Elemental Recycling?
A Houston, Texas company, Elemental Recycling has gone one step further than Plastronix, by developing and selling a plastic recycling machine. Their proprietary system will be delivered to the customer in quarter 1 of 2023.
In a single step process, they take any kind of plastic and upcycle that waste into high purity graphite and graphene. Graphite can be used to make smartphones, electronics of all types, fighter jets and airplanes and is one of the composite materials in automobile manufacturing.
One of the byproducts of Elemental's recycling process is the production of hydrogen. The market for hydrogen based products is growing rapidly and will include solutions like storage, transportation, energy, and shipping.
Both of these methods are carbon-neutral and provide green sources of materials. The manufacturing of products from waste plastic for these companies meets and exceeds all regulatory standards. But more importantly, it produces no emissions at all.
This is number 22 in Interesting Engineering's series showcasing the best innovations of 2022. Check back to discover more about groundbreaking AI, unique solar panels, new 3D printing methods and much more.
Scientists create emissions-free method for recycling plastics
Environmentalists, however, argue that the process may not be a good thing.
Loukia Papadopoulos
Created: Dec 11, 2022
INNOVATION
/2022/12/11/image/jpeg/ZIKDmSvYvbtHrSWl9VTJIlGRd8MK8Y74AgXkHfxr.jpg)
Plastics everywhere need to be recycled.
AzmanJaka/iStock
University of Colorado researchers have conceived of a method of making useful materials out of some of the plastics that are inundating landfills everywhere, according to a report by the Colorado Sun published on Friday.
The novel process uses ethanol to break down plastics to their smallest molecules. Those molecules are then used as starting blocks to make a new plastic product equally as useful and durable as the recycled one.
The end result is a series of polycyanurate networks which have been used for decades in electronic devices, automobiles, circuit boards, the space industry and more. But some environmentalists argue that this may not be the best thing.
Using too much plastic
The process, they say, will lead to more use of plastic in the first place which is something that should be reduced. Kate Bailey, the strategic advisor at the Boulder nonprofit Eco-Cycle, told the Colorado Sun, that this innovation may even encourage more plastics made from petroleum products.
“Where is the role for new technologies? What type of plastics should it be used for? When is it the right solution? And when are there other alternatives that make a lot more sense?” Bailey said. 
Plastics everywhere need to be recycled.
sdominick/iStock
Meanwhile, Danny Katz, executive director of Colorado Public Interest Research Group, also added to the Colorado Sun that reduction of the use of plastics is key and expressed doubt over how clean the new process may be.
“We have way better alternatives, way better options. The first one is just reducing,” Katz said. “If you talk to anybody, they would say it is ridiculous how much plastic comes with the products that we buy every single day. We’re drowning in plastic.”
A safer and cleaner option
Wei Zhang, chair of CU’s chemistry department and lead researcher on the project, argues that his option is providing a much safer and cleaner option to pyrolysis, another form of breaking down plastics. Pyrolysis is an energy-intensive, high-emission-emitting process responsible for plenty of pollution. As such, he argues that his invention is a far greater option.
He explains that his method does not use high temperatures or generate any harmful emissions. He also says it has the potential to transition to industrial setups easily due to its mild and easily replicable conditions.
Since his process produces the starting materials for new products he argues that no petroleum byproducts are needed. His invention creates a closed loop that is eco-friendly and practical.
“You truly can do the closed loop and reuse everything without repeatedly using petroleum, because it’s limited and it’s better for the environment,” Zhang said. “That is one future I’m dreaming of, and it’s possible.”
The process isn’t ready for large-scale manufacturing yet but that does not mean it does not offer a viable alternative to current methods of recycling plastic. It could if applied properly revolutionize the industry.
Environmentalists, however, argue that the process may not be a good thing.
Loukia Papadopoulos
Created: Dec 11, 2022
INNOVATION
Plastics everywhere need to be recycled.
AzmanJaka/iStock
University of Colorado researchers have conceived of a method of making useful materials out of some of the plastics that are inundating landfills everywhere, according to a report by the Colorado Sun published on Friday.
The novel process uses ethanol to break down plastics to their smallest molecules. Those molecules are then used as starting blocks to make a new plastic product equally as useful and durable as the recycled one.
The end result is a series of polycyanurate networks which have been used for decades in electronic devices, automobiles, circuit boards, the space industry and more. But some environmentalists argue that this may not be the best thing.
Using too much plastic
The process, they say, will lead to more use of plastic in the first place which is something that should be reduced. Kate Bailey, the strategic advisor at the Boulder nonprofit Eco-Cycle, told the Colorado Sun, that this innovation may even encourage more plastics made from petroleum products.
“Where is the role for new technologies? What type of plastics should it be used for? When is it the right solution? And when are there other alternatives that make a lot more sense?” Bailey said.
Plastics everywhere need to be recycled.
sdominick/iStock
Meanwhile, Danny Katz, executive director of Colorado Public Interest Research Group, also added to the Colorado Sun that reduction of the use of plastics is key and expressed doubt over how clean the new process may be.
“We have way better alternatives, way better options. The first one is just reducing,” Katz said. “If you talk to anybody, they would say it is ridiculous how much plastic comes with the products that we buy every single day. We’re drowning in plastic.”
A safer and cleaner option
Wei Zhang, chair of CU’s chemistry department and lead researcher on the project, argues that his option is providing a much safer and cleaner option to pyrolysis, another form of breaking down plastics. Pyrolysis is an energy-intensive, high-emission-emitting process responsible for plenty of pollution. As such, he argues that his invention is a far greater option.
He explains that his method does not use high temperatures or generate any harmful emissions. He also says it has the potential to transition to industrial setups easily due to its mild and easily replicable conditions.
Since his process produces the starting materials for new products he argues that no petroleum byproducts are needed. His invention creates a closed loop that is eco-friendly and practical.
“You truly can do the closed loop and reuse everything without repeatedly using petroleum, because it’s limited and it’s better for the environment,” Zhang said. “That is one future I’m dreaming of, and it’s possible.”
The process isn’t ready for large-scale manufacturing yet but that does not mean it does not offer a viable alternative to current methods of recycling plastic. It could if applied properly revolutionize the industry.
No comments:
Post a Comment