Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: thedoc on 25/09/2015 21:50:02

Title: How can we get energy back from plastics?
Post by: thedoc on 25/09/2015 21:50:02

Helen Coltarty asked the Naked Scientists:
   
If plastics require fossil fuels to be produced then why are we not able to harvest or extract that energy back after plastic articles aren't useful?

What do you think?

Title: Re: How can we get energy back from plastics?
Post by: chris on 25/09/2015 22:21:38

Actually, we can; one way is to burn the plastic and extract the heat and use it, which some places are set up to do, including the hospital at which I work. An alternative is to use the plastic as a carbon source to limit consumption of other hydrocarbons, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and also the carbon budget. One example of this is the use of plastic waste as a carbon source in blast furnaces to reduce iron oxide, a process pioneered by metallurgists in Australia about a decade ago.

Title: Re: How can we get energy back from plastics?
Post by: alancalverd on 26/09/2015 00:44:45

One of the best uses of scrap plastics is to recycle them into supermarket carrier bags. Alas, the UK government is about to put a tax on this activity, so it will just end up as landfill.