Final Blog: 100% recyclable plastic
Henry Quillin
Mr. Roddy
IHSS
14/5/19
$2.5 trillion 'Holy Grail' found? Breakthrough discovery could lead to 100 percent recyclable plastics
One of the most harmful factors that contribute to environmental pollution is plastic. Plastic trash that is in the ocean may have a 2.5 trillion dollars impact on the ecosystem. Plastics are usually not made with consideration of if it can be recycled or not, and many companies are producing cheap plastic that is very harmful to the environment. Even the plastics that are made to be recycled aren't making much of a difference, because only a small bit of the plastic can be reused and the processing plants use a lot of power and resources. But there is hope! A study was recently published that showed how researchers from Berkeley Labs found a way to reuse plastics into new materials of any shape, form or color.
This new plastic is called “poly(diketoenamine)”, and is known as PDK. The material can help manage the huge amounts of plastics pilling up at recycling plants. The plastic can be manipulated at the molecular level, so it can be broken down and fully reused into a new product. Another benefit is that, while other recyclable plastics lose quality every time they are recycled, PDK plastics will retain their quality and can be recycled indefinitely. So hopefully what will happen is a recycling bin full of items made from the new plastic would end up in someone else's recycling bin, and then someone else's bin forever and ever. But the one problem would be making sure that the plastic ends up in a recycling bin, rather than a landfill or ocean.
This relates to our economics portion of IHSS. The reason that so much plastic cannot be recycled is that it is more economical for big companies. The cheaper plastics are combinations of many materials, and so it is hard to take away all the additives and be left with the recyclable part of the product. But of course, it is way cheaper for the companies to use this less expensive but non-recyclable plastic. The 100% recyclable plastic will completely change the game though, making the recycling process smoother and less expensive, and providing a cheap completely recyclable plastic for companies’ products.
Mr. Roddy
IHSS
14/5/19
$2.5 trillion 'Holy Grail' found? Breakthrough discovery could lead to 100 percent recyclable plastics
One of the most harmful factors that contribute to environmental pollution is plastic. Plastic trash that is in the ocean may have a 2.5 trillion dollars impact on the ecosystem. Plastics are usually not made with consideration of if it can be recycled or not, and many companies are producing cheap plastic that is very harmful to the environment. Even the plastics that are made to be recycled aren't making much of a difference, because only a small bit of the plastic can be reused and the processing plants use a lot of power and resources. But there is hope! A study was recently published that showed how researchers from Berkeley Labs found a way to reuse plastics into new materials of any shape, form or color.
This new plastic is called “poly(diketoenamine)”, and is known as PDK. The material can help manage the huge amounts of plastics pilling up at recycling plants. The plastic can be manipulated at the molecular level, so it can be broken down and fully reused into a new product. Another benefit is that, while other recyclable plastics lose quality every time they are recycled, PDK plastics will retain their quality and can be recycled indefinitely. So hopefully what will happen is a recycling bin full of items made from the new plastic would end up in someone else's recycling bin, and then someone else's bin forever and ever. But the one problem would be making sure that the plastic ends up in a recycling bin, rather than a landfill or ocean.
This relates to our economics portion of IHSS. The reason that so much plastic cannot be recycled is that it is more economical for big companies. The cheaper plastics are combinations of many materials, and so it is hard to take away all the additives and be left with the recyclable part of the product. But of course, it is way cheaper for the companies to use this less expensive but non-recyclable plastic. The 100% recyclable plastic will completely change the game though, making the recycling process smoother and less expensive, and providing a cheap completely recyclable plastic for companies’ products.
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