SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): A recent research study led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory under the U.S. Department of Energy and Oregon State University College of Engineering has unveiled a new method to expand the range of plastics that can be recycled. This will help solve the rising plastic waste crisis across the globe.

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The new method combines chemical and biological processes, employing the proven technique of using chemical oxidation to break down various types of plastics. It uses oxygen and catalysts to break down plastics into smaller units or blocks. Those blocks are consumed by biologically engineered soil microbes to produce biopolymer or components for other making other products.

The process was applied to a mix of common plastics. The oxidation process disintegrated the plastics into a mixture of compounds. These compounds were biologically funnelled using the microbe, Pseudomonas putida into multiple products which could be used in advanced nylon production. In the absence of these microbes, costly separation techniques need to be employed for the separation of compounds. The researchers intend to try the process with additional types of plastics.

The research was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Bioenergy Technologies Office.