Argonne National Laboratory recently published a news story, which was a collaboration between Argonne and Ames National Laboratory, featuring research conducted by iCOUP scientists. The story highlights the efforts of scientists at Argonne and Ames Lab to keep plastic out of landfills by turning it into valuable products.
From the article:
Plastic pollution is a global problem that continues to grow. Over 400 million tons of plastic is produced every year, and each year manufacturers make more than the year before. Despite the high energy and carbon value in plastics, and the large investment to initially create these versatile materials, most plastic is never recycled. In fact, less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled. Instead, it is piling up in landfills, collecting on the sides of the roads and along beaches, ultimately polluting our lands and waters.
An interdisciplinary team of scientists, led by researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Ames and Argonne National Laboratories, have banded together to develop new ways to chemically recycle plastics and transform them into more valuable products, a process called upcycling.
To read more, go to the news link: What can we do about all the plastic waste?