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New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

academictimes.com

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Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#141

Post by JulianMorrison »

derefr wrote: post #129
JulianMorrison wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Bricks made of plastic weather into dust made of microplastic. If microplastic turns out to be as serious a problem as has been suggested, with bioaccumulation and various sorts of damage, then the only solution is that all plastic without exception has to be thoroughly destroyed chemically or by burning as soon as it it isn't in use. And not put into use in ways that emit microplastic (as fibers, dust, or otherwise)…

How about asphalt with plastics mixed into the underwater, but not the top layer?

Deferring the problem. Roads get dug up and relaid, roads get abandoned, maybe a few years down the line, we won't be using roads. Mentally insert "Back to the Future 2" clip here. And so a few decades later, we return to the problem.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#142

Post by ehnto »

derefr wrote: post #127
barney54 wrote: post #120

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not easy to find good biodegradable alternatives for many types of plastics. See the example of Legos trying to replace their plastic with a more environmentally friendly version. https://www.wsj.com/articles/lego-struggles-to-find-a-plant-...

Seems weird to want biodegradable lego, when they’re highly reusable . I’ve never heard of a LEGO brick get so worn out that it had to be thrown away. Making them rot would just decrease their productive multi-generational lifespan.

Everything has the potential to end up in the environment, so we have to consider the full cycle of the product. I think you might underestimate how much LEGO ends up in the bin.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#143

Post by DenisM »

specialist wrote: post #27
ratsmack wrote: post #12

>plant-based What they're based from isn't the problem, it's chemicals added to the base, such as chlorine compounds, that is the problem.

Please say more. My efforts to buy least processed cotton and wood pulp products have been largely unsuccessful. I don't need my toilet paper or t-shirts to be white.

Look into wool. Expensive, but super comfy and likely not bleached. Given the higher price some of the brands make it a point to detail the environmental and animal welfare impact.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#144

Post by ehnto »

Aunche wrote: post #19
ArkanExplorer wrote: post #7

Plastic recycling seems heavily motivated by emotion and virtue signaling. In reality, only about 5% of our crude oil use goes towards plastic. If we rolled out EVs, and then just burned all the plastic trash (using waste-to-energy plants), we would still be far ahead. The biggest challenges with plastics are hormone disruption, and microplastics (particularly in the 3rd world without sufficient landfill or W2E infra…

I wish there were more charities focused on building proper waste management infrastructure in developing countries. People don't want to support landfills and incineration, so they would rather support "clever" methods of collecting plastic in the ocean instead, which often end up in landfills anyways.

Maybe I am just cynical, but I don't believe we will stop polluting the oceans in my life time, so remediation technology is a necessary place to focus.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#145

Post by da_big_ghey »

mnouquet wrote: post #119
da_big_ghey wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This more extreme usonian gun and freedom idea. If government say you have only one child you hav xr15 rifle not help. you people no can be trust with guns, ability to have as many children as wanted, others. you try use them to continue kill planet. you no have freedom to keep breeding kill other country with climate change. US having more children is externality it not pay. the US days of telling world around and d…

> If government say you have only one child you hav xr15 rifle not help What are they gonna do, line me up and execute me and my family ? Kill my children ? Fortunately, Rights are still a thing, including the 2nd.

This is not in need. Fining confiscateing properties limiting from some good jobs all good consicuences. You have politician come to senses but slowly, you have democrat party finaly beat sense into your head on guns, sicund amendment be finaly rimoved. US no simply dictate to rest of world any more. If US continue cause climate change PRC enforce by army. US no more have army hegemony, have less man than PRC and bad technology than PRC. Your government enforce or we enforce, this is choice you for to make.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#146

Post by tachyonbeam »

Spooky23 wrote: post #115
tachyonbeam wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think we should recycle plastic if we can, or better yet, switch to other materials that are easier to recycle. For example, glass bottles can just be sent back to the factory, washed and reused. This is already done for beer and wine AFAIK. It could be done for milk and every other kind of drinks as well. However, if we fail to recycle plastic, isn't burying plastic in a landfill, in a way, a form of carbon captur…

You cannot win this argument. One concerned citizen will point out that glass is heavier and supposedly uses more diesel to move around and requires more trucks to do so. Another concerned citizen will point out that more carbon is used in firing sand into glass. Still another will tell you that the warm water used to clean a used bottle will also produce carbon. The only answer is to move next to a spring and drink…

I agree that there are always people whining, no matter which solution you might suggest (unfortunately). However, I'm invested in three companies that build electric trucks, and there are more and more renewables on the grid. Multiple companies are tackling the problem of energy storage as well. Change is happening.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#147

Post by paulryanrogers »

Spooky23 wrote: post #115
tachyonbeam wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think we should recycle plastic if we can, or better yet, switch to other materials that are easier to recycle. For example, glass bottles can just be sent back to the factory, washed and reused. This is already done for beer and wine AFAIK. It could be done for milk and every other kind of drinks as well. However, if we fail to recycle plastic, isn't burying plastic in a landfill, in a way, a form of carbon captur…

You cannot win this argument. One concerned citizen will point out that glass is heavier and supposedly uses more diesel to move around and requires more trucks to do so. Another concerned citizen will point out that more carbon is used in firing sand into glass. Still another will tell you that the warm water used to clean a used bottle will also produce carbon. The only answer is to move next to a spring and drink…

It's tradeoffs all around. We each get to decide where our personal responsibility begins and ends. As a society we negotiate together in choosing leaders to preserve our way of life.

As people become more educated their positions can change. We don't have to settle for one solution forever or give up just because there isn't absolute agreement.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#148

Post by Semaphor »

JulianMorrison wrote: post #85
rmason wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I remember a time when everything was paper bags. Groceries and retailers went with plastic because it was cheaper. But with plastic there was a hidden cost. Now we're told we must pay a premium for recyclable plastic. Personally I'd rather pay a premium for paper because it's made from a renewable resource. Plus paper will decompose within two months in nature. The only drawback I can find is that paper bags take mo…

The solution, bags-wise, is reusable bags. I carry around several of the convenient, pack-into-a-ball variety. They're plastic, but they'll last me many many uses. When they eventually wear out, they should probably be incinerated. But in the meantime, I'm using plastic's advantage, it's long life, in my favour - rather than having it haunt me as waste.

Cloth bags are even better. I can put them into the washing machine if they are dirty, they can be easily stored and so far (I have and use some of both types that are over 10 years old) none of them degraded.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#149

Post by ivansavz »

Animats wrote: post #67

"The one disadvantage of the new materials Mecking identified was their cost." Oops. Biodegradable plastics are available. They're useful for things likely to be discarded with ordinary trash, like food packaging. Some are made from starches.

Here is one of those bio-product bags https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQRqwoSD94w

at 0:30 the video explains bags are made of "polyvinyl alcohol and raw materials like limestone" not sure how costly these primary materials + production are, but given final "state" is non-toxic, would be worth paying for this.

Why are grocery stores not moving into this big time? Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Re: New plant-based plastics can be chemically recycled with near-perfect efficiency

#150

Post by 127 »

Animats wrote: post #67

"The one disadvantage of the new materials Mecking identified was their cost." Oops. Biodegradable plastics are available. They're useful for things likely to be discarded with ordinary trash, like food packaging. Some are made from starches.

I've heard composting PLA is pretty bad for the environment as it produces a lot of methane, which is much worse greenhouse gas compared to CO2.

It also seems PLA doesn't degrade in landfills. It requires a built to purpose composting facility.

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