The petrochemical industry has long championed chemical recycling as the solution to the global plastics crisis. The pitch is straightforward: instead of sending plastic waste to landfill or incineration, break it down chemically back into raw materials and start again. Clean, circular, elegant.The reality is considerably messier.Chemical recycling works primarily through a process called pyrolysis. Plastic waste is heated in the absence of oxygen to produce an oil that can, in theory, be turned

Chemical Recycling is the process of converting plastic waste into raw materials to make new plastic, helping reduce the need for fossil fuels - the feedstock of most plastics. Chemical Recycling initially appeared to be a promising solution to the plastic waste crisis, however, concerns are growing about its effectiveness, environmental impacts and economic sustainability.   The Reality Behind the TechnologyChemical Recycling is proving to be a costly gamble. The most common chemical recycling

Recycling is often proposed as the answer to plastic pollution. In practice, however, recycling is totally failing - both technologically and economically. Most plastic is not recycled (under 9% globally), and even when it is, the process often degrades the material, making it more toxic and limiting its future use.Mechanical recycling, the most common method, involves melting and remolding plastic. This causes the plastic quality to drop with each cycle, ending up in a plastic bottle that becom

The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reported that global plastic production has reached 400 million metric tonnes. Year on year, the demand for plastic has increased exponentially, driven by its availability, cost effectiveness and durability in relation to natural products such as wood. The term 'durability' is almost contradictory when describing plastic. Plastics can take thousands of years to break down in landfill, yet over time they also slowly degrade into microplastics. In both forms, th