Is chemical recycling of plastics the future?

This is the second in a series of free events throughout 2021 developed by the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Science Policy Unit, exploring current issues around plastic production, use, reuse and disposal. Featuring Bright Green Plastics' Sam Hill and research scientist Ina Vollmer - introduced by the RSC's Kathy Page & Ben Valsler.
The plastic waste problem is at a critical point, and while plastics are a useful material in many applications, we need to find ways to live with them without creating environmental harm. Once a plastic has been reused and it at the end of its useful life, it comes the time for recycling. But how best to retain value in our materials?
Mechanical recycling currently makes up about 99% of the plastic recycling taking place across Europe. If perfectly utilised mechanical recycling can be a very effective way of turning end of life plastic products into new plastics. However, with mixed or contaminated waste streams an undesirable product is produced, and ‘downcycling’ can occur.
Chemical recycling has been touted as a solution to some of the limitations of mechanical recycling and can deal with some of the ‘problem plastics’ not easily recycled with conventional means.
‘Chemical recycling’ is actually an umbrella term covering several technologies which break apart polymer chains and produce a product further away from a finished plastic. Some of these processes are highly selective, and some use high temperatures to indiscriminately ‘crack’ polymer chains into a mixed product.
But chemical recycling is not yet available at scale, and there are some concerns over the amount of energy it uses. So, is chemical recycling worth the energy?
Our speakers discuss:
• What mechanical recycling is, and how it can be optimised
• The technologies known as ‘chemical recycling’, their potential applications and hurdles still to overcome
• What a future recycling system might look like, and how we can get there

[@lenipriska8376]

thank you so much for this event, God bless you:)

[@Nature_soul1]

so does this mean we can get rid of LANDFILS of waste? we have the landfils they are massive thats why I am here trying to see if its possible to make them disappear. whats the easiest way to get rid of our waste?

[@r6m697]

Pls have reference…. It would be so helpful.