Engineers in Australia devised a sustainable, low-energy technique to break down plastics via ferric chloride, sunlight and air exposure.
Polystyrene, a type of plastic that is not biodegradable has long been viewed as detrimental to the environment. So much so that countries across the world have banned the use of polystyrene in various forms.
The new technique uses a common chemical compound along with sunlight and air to separate seven unique categories of polymers by 90 percent. Aiming to tackle microplastics, the technique is designed to reduce tough polymers into reusable, raw materials ultimately. The photo-oxidative degradation technique has thus far been effective on polymers with polyvinyl chloride, PVC from the common drainpipe, and poly, a widely-used polymer that’s found in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products as per the statement.
“The previous system only was able to degrade a limited range of polymers,” he added. “In our study, we successfully expanded the range of polymers, including polyvinyl chloride, polyacrylates , and polyvinyl acetate.”An engineer noted that the new sustainable plastic degradation process can be employed by waste management services at the site. The remaining product can further be used as raw material for a different product.
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