SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): The researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new PET plastic recycling technique, which they claim to be safer and more cost-effective.
The innovative recycling method eliminates the need for toxic solvents and significantly reduces the use of energy. It will reduce reliance on virgin materials, thereby establishing a circular economy for plastics. The new process promises to offer an effective solution to the rising global plastic waste crisis.
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According to the novel method, activated carbon is first mixed with a cheap, non-toxic molybdenum catalyst. When the PET plastic is heated after being added to this catalyst mixture, the chemical bonds inside the plastic are broken. After that, the fragments of PET are left out in the open air. PET is changed into monomers by a chemical reaction brought on by the moisture in the air.
The process's catalyst is incredibly resilient and may be used again without losing its potency.
The new technique is environmentally beneficial because it depends on trace moisture from ambient air instead of solvents, unlike previous recycling procedures that produce hazardous byproducts.
The largest plastic polluter in the world by population is the United States. Just 5% of the nation's total plastic garbage is recycled.