A new plastic was created that can be recycled repeatedly — the latest advance in the lab as scientists try to address the world’s growing plastics problem.
The problem: Roughly 4.9 billion tons of plastic waste produced since the 1950s hasn’t been recycled or burned. And, plastic production is expected to double over the next two decades.
The challenge: Plastic needs to be durable to be useful. Today, plastic bottles made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) are largely broken down through mechanical recycling — it’s separated, shredded, washed and melted. The process is labor intensive and the product is degraded plastics that are often made into lower-value secondary products that are not recycled again.
Related Posts
Packaging Innovations 2019 - UK
With 6 shows in one and over 300 of the industry’s leading suppliers, it’s a time efficient way to meet multiple suppliers and through our free-to-attend seminars, you can hear from the industry’s leaders, innovators and policy influencers. Make sure you stop by to see what's new at the Innovation Stage and join the debate by attending The Big Plastics Debate, hosted on both days of the show! Add to this a host of networking events and areas, and it all adds up to an unmissable event for the packaging industry.
The Revolutionary Past of Plastics
by Plastics.com Staff | June 11, 2019 | All Processes, All Regions, Daily News, Plastics Training/Education | 0 Comments
Essentra Extrusion Sold To Inter Primo In EUR16 Million Deal
by Plastics.com Staff | June 11, 2019 | Business, Daily News, Extrusion, Mergers & Acquisitions | 0 Comments
A ‘cast PU elastomer’ that can be injection moulded
by Plastics.com Staff | June 11, 2019 | Daily News, Injection Molding, Performance Plastics | 0 Comments
Plastic straws rank low among consumer concerns
by Plastics.com Staff | June 7, 2019 | Consumer, Daily News, Environmental, Extrusion | 0 Comments
Is Milacron Holdings Corp (NYSE:MCRN)’s Fuel Running Low?
by Plastics.com Staff | June 7, 2019 | Business, Daily News, Global | 0 Comments
Single-ion conducting polymer electrolytes
by Plastics.com Staff | June 7, 2019 | Daily News, Polymer Science | 0 Comments
Functional Natural and Synthetic Polymers
by Plastics.com Staff | June 6, 2019 | Daily News, Polymer Science | 0 Comments
New Frontiers for Recyclable Polymers
by Plastics.com Staff | June 6, 2019 | Daily News, Environmental, North America, Polymer Science, Recycling | 0 Comments
Krauss-Maffei Corp. president Paul Caprio stepping down
by Plastics.com Staff | June 6, 2019 | Business, Daily News, Profile | 0 Comments
Prodways Begins Work on Autonomous Dental 3D Printing
by Plastics.com Staff | March 25, 2019 | Additive Mfg, Consumer, Daily News, Europe, Part Design | 0 Comments