Plastic pyrolysis offers a new recycling solution

Plastic waste is a growing problem. In 1950, around 2 million tons of plastic were produced worldwide. Now, production has surged to about 400 million tons. This increase has created a significant challenge, as plastic takes hundreds of years to decompose and often breaks down into harmful microplastics. Recycling has been the primary method to manage plastic waste, but it is not very effective. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, only 8.7% of plastics are recycled. Most plastics end up in landfills or pollute the environment. Researchers are looking for new solutions, and one promising technology is plastic pyrolysis. Pyrolysis is a process that heats plastic waste to high temperatures without oxygen, breaking it down into oil, gases, and char. This method can potentially handle various plastic types, including some that standard recycling cannot process. The pyrolysis process starts with collecting and cleaning plastic waste. The plastics are then shredded and heated in a reactor. They do not burn, but instead, break down into smaller molecules. This produces liquid oil, which can be refined for fuel, along with gases like methane and propane. The char left over can improve soil health but must be used carefully. Pyrolysis could help reduce plastic waste in landfills and oceans and lower the need for new plastic production. It offers a way to convert waste into energy and useful products. However, setting up pyrolysis plants is expensive, and the profitability depends on various factors like the type of plastic waste available and market demand. Quality control is another challenge, as different plastics yield different oils. Scientists are working on techniques to separate and analyze these oils to improve the process. The market for pyrolysis plants is expected to grow significantly, indicating a potential shift toward this technology as part of a broader solution for plastic waste management.