Ames National Laboratory’s Post

Collaboration between the chemical industry and waste management companies can establish efficient infrastructure for collecting, sorting and processing plastic waste, ensuring its reintegration into the circular economy

I am positive on the technology side that we can get into a sustainable plastic future. Chemical recycling will contribute. BUT, how do we disrupt the high growth rate of the plastic industry? All our efforts in recycling and upcycling are consumed by the growth of the market. Surely, the 6Rs, but will we manage to implement them in our societies at a relevant rate? #plasticcrisis #sustainability #biotechnology

Plastic waste, from wrappers to bottles, is considered both carcinogenic and a threat to both visual and environmental purity of the land from parks to ocean tides. Plastic pollution is rampant globally, with the National Geographic estimating that eight million tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every year. Potential good news comes out of the chemistry lab at the University of California at Berkeley, according to a school release that says a catalytic process can vaporize plastics and turn them into new hydrocarbon blocks for future products. "We have an enormous amount of polyethylene and polypropylene in everyday objects, from lunch bags to laundry soap bottles to milk jugs — so much of what's around us is made of these polyolefins," said John Hartwig, the UC Berkeley chemistry professor who led the research, as quoted in a university release. "What we can now do, in principle, is take those objects and bring them back to the starting monomer by chemical reactions we've devised that cleave the typically stable carbon-carbon bonds. By doing so, we've come closer than anyone to giving the same kind of circularity to polyethylene and polypropylene that you have for polyester in water bottles." The experimental project confirmed by UC-Berkeley’s School of Chemical Engineering involves a catalytic process that focuses most effectively on two common types of plastic waste: polyethylene and polypropylene. The former is used in single-use plastic bags, while the latter is harder plastic from dishes to luggage, and the school release says it not only vaporizes but can also degrade a mix of polyethylene and polypropylene. The catalytic process, developed at the University of California, Berkeley, works equally well with the two dominant types of post-consumer plastic waste: polyethylene, the component of most single-use plastic bags; and polypropylene, the stuff of hard plastics, from microwavable dishes to luggage. It also efficiently degrades a mix of these types of plastics. To save energy & cost for your business, contact me at https://buff.ly/2EjAMbu. #Reliability #EnergyStorage #EnergyEfficiency #Renewables #EnergyAudit #Procurement #Resilience https://buff.ly/3XLDmhZ

Tackling Plastic Pollution: The Promise and Challenges of Chemical Recycling Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. With millions of tons of plastic waste ending up in our oceans, landfills, and ecosystems every year, innovative solutions are essential to tackle this problem. One such solution gaining significant attention is chemical recycling—a process that could revolutionize how we manage plastic waste. What is chemical recycling, and what are its potential benefits and the challenges it faces? #sustainability #upcycling #innovation #mixup

Plastic is one of the most incredible inventions. It does everything from hold our mayo to allow cars to be made more comfortably and inexpensively. But plastics that humans create today are likely to take up space and remain present in our environment for years to come. What do the data say about how we are actually dealing with our plastic waste? And which region of the world is managing plastic waste most effectively? Explore the data to find out! https://lnkd.in/d4zAvD2x

I’m really happy to share the publication of my first review paper on the topic of plastic waste recycling/up-cycling. It focuses on carbonization and activation as a method of up-cycling plastic waste to activated carbon products. Check it out in the link below if interested! #Research #Plasticrecycling #Sustainability

5-min read to learn about what's more about plastic waste crisis - developing a sustainable plastics economy

Did you know that every single minute, a truckload of plastic waste finds its way into our beautiful oceans? Plant-based plastics could be our allies in the fight against ocean pollution. New research reveals that plant-based plastics release nine times less microplastics than conventional plastics. This discovery sheds light on the significant difference materials can make in combating microplastic pollution. Read more: #MicroplasticPollution #PlantBasedPlastics #OceanConservation  

𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐟𝐟👍: 𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝'𝐬 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐮𝐩𝐜𝐲𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐥 𝐟𝐮𝐞𝐥! Ames National Laboratory scientists developed a catalytic process to convert plastic waste directly into sulfur-free diesel. This method bypasses traditional refineries, making it more efficient and environmentally friendly. The cleaner diesel can improve transportation emissions and reduce plastic pollution, offering a sustainable solution to plastic waste and energy problems. #science #technology #energy #renewableenergy #sustainability

Tackling the plastic waste crisis is a key environmental challenge of our time. Find out how a research center will transform how plastic is designed, used, and recycled to help address one of our biggest environmental threats https://ow.ly/jWvg50QM6Ax.