Perpetual Plastic Recycling Technology Unveiled
Wednesday, May 8, 2019 - 13:23:12
The growing concerns surrounding the volumes of single-use plastics being consumed around the world on a daily basis have partly been fuelled by the fact that most materials of this type can only be recycled a small number of times before this process is no longer effective.
Thankfully, researchers at Berkley Lab have announced the development of a cutting-edge iteration of plastic which is indeed able to undergo recycling an almost infinite number of times without suffering any ill effects.
Team spokesperson Peter Christensen pointed out that plastics were previously not designed with recycling in mind, which is why this fresh approach to assembly stands out from the crowd and could change the world for the better, according to Gizmodo.
By altering the structure of the polymers and changing the chemical processes used in recycling, these specialised techniques have been able to allow for old plastic to be effectively dismantled and then reconstituted over and over again while retaining the same integrity as when it was first made.
The main issue with this news is that for now it has only been proven in lab conditions and has yet to be developed to the point that it will be adoptable on a mass-production scale. This is the point at which manufacturers and recycling firms need to get involved in order to ensure that its alleged benefits are harnessed effectively.
Campaigners argue that we need to change the way we use plastics altogether, cutting them out where possible to avoid a lack of sustainability in our consumption of various products. However, if plastics can become part of a truly circular system of production, use and recycling, then this will help to alleviate concerns while also allowing consumers to retain their current habits unhindered by new obligations.
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