The plastics industry has heralded a type of chemical recycling it claims could replace new shopping bags and candy wrappers with old ones — but not much is being recycled at all, and this method won’t curb the crisis.
  • @Brkdncr
    19•5 months ago

    Great read. Here’s the juicy bit if you don’t have time:

    Could the industry conceivably make enough propylene and ethylene through pyrolysis to replace much of our demand for new plastic?

    He looked three years into the future, using his company’s latest figures on global pyrolysis investment, and gave an optimistic assessment.

    At best, the world could replace 0.2% of new plastic churned out in a year with products made through pyrolysis.

  • @absquatulate
    6•5 months ago

    So it’s actually worse for the environment than mechanical recycling and not even as efficient? Should’ve figured it’s gonna be no good if it comes out of an Exxon mouthpiece