A German startup has unveiled a new means of recycling plastic that could go a long way toward solving our global plastic waste problem.
According to ChemEurope.com, Munich-based Radical Dot has developed a form of chemical recycling that converts mixed and contaminated plastic waste back into its raw chemical materials.
The key to the technology is a catalytic low-temperature process, which allows for the breaking down of plastics that would otherwise be unusable.
Plastic is theoretically recyclable, but it has historically been the most challenging of the various types of recyclable materials. It typically needs to be sorted into different types of plastic, as they melt and break down at different temperatures and cannot have dyes or food contamination on them to be properly reusable. Additionally, many plastic recycling techniques are expensive, making it less profitable for companies to invest in them.
Radical Dot's process erases several of those concerns, allowing for a variety of plastics and contaminants to be recycled together without harming the end chemical product.
This sort of recycling goes a long way in our fight against endemic plastic pollution. Plastic doesn't biodegrade, meaning it stays in the environment for centuries. Instead, it breaks apart into tiny fragments known as microplastics, which can hinder plant growth and have been linked to a number of serious health issues in people. Plastics and microplastics are also a huge health risk to wildlife.
The German company isn't the only one pushing the bounds on plastic recycling; Scottish company ReVentas has its own process for recycling particularly tricky forms of plastic in an affordable way, as well.
Radical Dot is still early in its process; it has received a pre-seed funding round of 2.7 million euros and is in the process of constructing a continuously operating prototype that will test its ideas. If it works and can be scaled up, it could revolutionize recycling as we know it.
|
Should companies be required to help recycle their own products?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 
Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
