One of the biggest challenges in recycling plastic is that there are several kinds of plastic that end up in our bins – and those variations in composition necessitate sorting out waste before processing it. Sorting is expensive and time-consuming, even with tech involved, and it greatly reduces the effectiveness and efficiency of recycling programs.

Researchers at Illinois’ Northwestern University might have a way to largely skip sorting plastic. Their process uses an inexpensive catalyst that selectively breaks down the most common single-use kind of plastics into liquid oils and waxes that can be upcycled into lubricants and fuels.