A team led by researchers at the Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido University has developed a method that uses common plastic materials instead of potentially explosive compounds to initiate radical chain reactions. This approach significantly increases the safety of the process while also providing a way to reuse common plastics such

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a strain of bacteria that can turn plastic waste into a biodegradable spider silk with multiple uses. Their new study marks the first time scientists have used bacteria to transform polyethylene plastic — the kind used in many single-use items — into a high-value protein product. That product,

Toray Industries, Inc., announced that it has created a plastic film almost as strong as stainless steel, with a maximum tensile strength of 1,200 megapascals. The material also offers the lightness, insulation, flexibility, and other benefits of polymers. Overcame Processing Challenges by Creating Nanostructure Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is an engineering plastic. Its molecular

In the project ULTRADREAM (funded by TKI-AF), Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (WFBR) is supporting the development of the circular economy by using agricultural side streams and residues for developing novel modified bio-based, renewable polymers, with inherent biodegradation capabilities at their end-of-life. Increasing Biodegradability Using UV-light The WFBR approach is to test the possibilities of

kp (Klöckner Pentaplast) partners with the Keep Sea Blue organization to close the loop on plastic waste through the use of Recycled Coastal Plastics®, a certified post-consumer recycled raw material recovered from within 10 km of the coastline in the Mediterranean basin. Preventing Plastic Waste from Ending up in Marine Environments In 2023, kp used

Chemical recycling of widely used vinyl polymers (VPs) is one of the key technologies required for realizing a sustainable society. In this regard, a team of researchers from Shinshu University have recently reported a new chemical process that facilitates the depolymerization of cyclic styrene-based VPs, resulting in the recovery of a monomer precursor. This highly

Eagle Technology AS, a Norwegian provider of sustainable systems and solutions, announces its partnership with the G4 consortium. The G4 is comprised of four companies, across two continents and ten countries, and has joined forces with Eagle Technology to disrupt the recycling business for plastic waste. Delivering Pyrolysis Machines Strategically Placed Across Europe The recently

Kao Industrial (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (Kao) has partnered with two global packaging experts, SCG Chemicals (SCGC) and Dow Thailand Group (Dow), to develop packaging designed for recyclability. The partnership aims to provide consumers with more sustainable packaging options, with a focus on high-quality packaging that has a lower carbon footprint and is recyclable. The three companies signed a

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has become the first Indian company to chemically recycle plastic waste-based pyrolysis oil into International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC)-Plus certified circular Polymers. This new innovation is a testimony to RIL’s commitment in reducing plastic waste and supporting circular economy in India. RIL shipped its first batch of ISCC-Plus certified circular polymers, named CircuRepol™

Northwestern University chemists have developed a new catalyst that quickly, cleanly and completely breaks down nylon-6 in a matter of minutes — without generating harmful byproducts. The process does not require toxic solvents, expensive materials or extreme conditions, making it practical for everyday applications. Not only could this new catalyst play an important role in

An international team of experts undertaking fundamental research has developed a way of using polyethylene waste (PE) as a feedstock and converted it into valuable chemicals, via light-driven photocatalysis. Photocatalysis to Upcycle PE Waste into Ethylene and Propionic Acid The University of Adelaide’s professor Shizhang Qiao, chair of Nanotechnology, and director, Center for Materials in Energy and

A team of UK scientists has got a step closer to making several different types of plastic much easier to recycle, using a method that could be applied to a whole range of difficult-to-recycle polymers, including rubbers, gels and adhesives. Introducing Degradable Bonds into Thermoset Polymers Thermoplastics and thermosets are two types of plastics that