A breakthrough plastic upcycling process

As the world grapples with the growing problem of plastic pollution, there is an urgent need for better options for extracting the energy and molecular value from waste plastics. Conventional plastic recycling methods only result in low-value plastic molecules, providing little incentive to recycle. However, new technologies are emerging that have the potential to transform waste plastics into valuable resources.

Among these is a process to transform one of the most produced plastics into another type of widely used plastic. Developed by a collaboration of scientists from American universities, the new technology may help to reduce the environmental impact of plastic pollution while also providing a financial incentive for recycling.