Plastic waste presents a persistent environmental challenge due to its non-biodegradable nature and global accumulation in ecosystems. Many plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose, resulting in their buildup in landfills, oceans, and ecosystems, which leads to harmful effects on wildlife and the environment. This includes the release of microplastics and toxic chemicals into the soil and water. Chemical recycling offers a promising solution by breaking down plastics into their original chemical building blocks, enabling the production of high-quality products while reducing dependence on petroleum resources. This post delves into the history, technologies, economic and environmental benefits, and challenges of chemical recycling of plastic waste, with a focus on key processes like pyrolysis, gasification, and depolymerization.
Ahmad Saylam (2024) studied this question.