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Re: Recycling needs a revamp

A reader online suggested a way to reduce plastic waste.
cenm.ag/recyclingrevamp

“Plastics,” as we chemists all know, is a loose term that covers a multitude of different substances. However, they can be broken down into two general classes: those that consist of carbon and hydrogen with or without oxygen, and those containing halogens, nitrogen, or other elements. The former may be burned to produce heat and/or electricity while producing little or no pollution; the latter cannot.

Most of the polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, and other CHO plastics are made originally from petroleum. Following their use as containers, wrapping film, etc., why shouldn’t they be burned to produce usable energy? Such use would displace an equivalent amount of oil or natural gas and would yield no net increase in carbon usage. It should be possible to design and build burners and boilers to take these materials while producing little or no air pollution.

Consider the fact that most of the plastic in the oceans comes from a handful of Southeast Asian countries and that most of those countries are short on energy sources. Instead of dumping their plastic refuse on the shores, they could be obtaining useful energy from it and helping their balances of payments by importing less petroleum and coal.

Plastics like vinyls, acrylics, and nylons would still need to be recycled or landfilled, but they would account for a much smaller volume of plastics.
James Castro