The problem with recycling is quite straightforward: only a small percentage of the plastic items we throw away are recyclable. Some items such as plastic bottles can easily be repurposed, but others that use different assortment of plastic or have special coatings cannot. New solutions are needed for handling all this non-recyclable plastic if we want to spare the planet from further plastic pollution, which is why IBM has been working diligently over the last few years to create a process that can recycle all kinds of plastic. Now the company has one in the form of VolCat, which is short for volatile catalyst. VolCat works by using a special type of reactor that operates at temperatures above 200 degrees Celsius to quickly “digest” polyesters and separate out monomers in the form of a white power that can be used to make new plastics. That material, IBM suggest, can be fed back into plastic manufacturing so it can be reborn. IBM has already patented the process and is looking for industry partners to scale it up.
IBM has come up with a quick way to recycle all kinds of plastic
More of Today's Solutions
Europe’s low-carbon future: Denmark’s North Sea oil field is now a carb...
Once a symbol of fossil fuel extraction, the remote Nini oil field in the North Sea is preparing for a new role: storing millions ...
Read MoreGrace Richardson makes history as first openly gay Miss England: ‘I’ve achiev...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When Grace Richardson took the stage at the Miss England final in Wolverhampton, she wasn’t just chasing a ...
Read MoreWorld’s first hydrogen-powered cargo vessel to set sail in Paris this year
In a world's first, a commercial hydrogen-powered cargo vessel will make its maiden voyage later this year. Developed by French shipowner Compagnie Fluvial Transport ...
Read MoreA guide to self-kindness: transforming negative self-talk into positive affir...
As we go through the motions of daily life, it's tempting to listen to our inner critic's constant commentary. Negative self-talk, or the constant ...
Read More
