polyethylene upcycling

UC Berkeley chemists tested their chemical process for breaking down polyethylene plastic on several types of post-consumer PE: four-pack tops, milk and shampoo bottles and plastic packaging. The yield of propylene from each is shown at the bottom. With improvements to the process, it could make a dent in the PE waste stream and provide a product in high-demand by the plastics industry without using more fossil fuels. (Photo credit: John Hartwig lab, UC Berkeley)
The ubiquitous plastic bag that blights the landscape may have finally become recyclable via a new process