Skip to Content
Climate change

A new chemical process could turn a quarter of our plastic waste into clean fuel

February 11, 2019

Grocery bags and other trash could be melted down to yield useful products like oil and gas.

The problem: The world’s landfill sites and oceans are being flooded with plastic. A mere 9% of the 8.3 billion tons of plastic produced over the last 65 years has been recycled, according to the United Nations. Over eight million tons of plastic flow into our oceans every year, harming wildlife.

How it works: The technology works on polyolefin waste, the sort of plastic used for grocery bags, toys, and shrink wrap. This sort of plastic accounts for about 23% of plastic waste, according to researchers who describe the process in a paper published in Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering. The new technique uses a process called hydrothermal liquefaction, in which very high temperatures melt pellets of polyolefin and then dissolve them in water. The by-products of this process are oil, gas, or solvents. 

On the bright side: Repurposing existing plastic into useful products could help stem the tide. The researchers say their conversion process could be used on about 90% of the world’s polypropylene waste. 

Sign up here to our daily newsletter The Download to get your dose of the latest must-read news from the world of emerging tech.

Deep Dive

Climate change

This geothermal startup showed its wells can be used like a giant underground battery

If Fervo Energy’s field results work at commercial scale, it could become cheaper and easier to green the grid.

Yes, we have enough materials to power the world with renewable energy

We won’t run out of key ingredients for climate action, but mining comes with social and environmental ramifications.

Meet the new batteries unlocking cheaper electric vehicles

A planned factory marks a major milestone in the US for new batteries that enable lower-cost, longer-lasting EVs.

Researchers launched a solar geoengineering test flight in the UK last fall

The experiment, largely designed to test equipment, took place despite deep concerns about the technology.

Stay connected

Illustration by Rose Wong

Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review

Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.

Thank you for submitting your email!

Explore more newsletters

It looks like something went wrong.

We’re having trouble saving your preferences. Try refreshing this page and updating them one more time. If you continue to get this message, reach out to us at customer-service@technologyreview.com with a list of newsletters you’d like to receive.