How can research help?
In the current system, research has been used to develop amazing plastic materials for a wide range of applications. Research will be a big component to helping solve the problems we currently have. In the current system, plastic items are made. Once used, these items end up in a landfill, the environment or in recycling. If recycled, the items are often either incinerated for energy recovery or mechanically processed into downgraded products that will also eventually be discarded.
We need scientists, engineers and other researchers to help redesign a system that fits our needs and is better for the environment. From the chemistry perspective, there are two major areas we can help:
We need scientists, engineers and other researchers to help redesign a system that fits our needs and is better for the environment. From the chemistry perspective, there are two major areas we can help:
- Develop better chemical recycling and upcycling methods to convert used plastics to useful molecules and products.
- Redesign plastics to be more easily recycled or safely degraded, while still addressing the applications plastics are needed for.
Chemical Recycling Methods
Chemistry has been used to make plastics from building blocks. Chemistry strategies are being developed to either:
- Recycle: "Unzip" the plastic back to it's building blocks (with a general example below)
- Upcycle: Convert the plastic to a value-added product that can be sold for a higher price
Make New Plastics
Chemists are also working to develop new plastics that can replace the plastics that aren't degradable or easily recyclable. These new plastics can be in three different categories (some can fit more than one category):
- Bio-based plastics: As we know fossil fuels are a finite resource, we need to address how much oil we are using to make plastics. Many groups are identifying ways to make plastics from bio-based feedstocks. For example, commercially available polylactic acid (PLA) can be made from corn.
- Compostable/degradable plastics: Plastics can also be designed to break down under specific conditions. It is important to ensure that these items do not degrade when you want to use them, so the break down must happen when you want it to. Additionally, it is important that the products they break down into are safe for the environment.
- More recyclable plastics: Plastics can be redesigned to also have a facile method to recycle back to the original monomer. Both the method to make and recycle the plastic must be cost-effective to change the recycling methods, and the plastic still needs to have the properties for the desired application. This would create a closed-loop system (general scheme shown below).
Researchers all over the world (in universities, national labs, and industry) are all working on ways to address the problem. Other topic areas include:
- Developing ways to filter microplastics from water ways
- Rethinking recycling collection strategies
- Scaling up new technologies for large scale use
- Understanding health impact of microplastics better
- And many more!