Production of alternative fuels and valuable chemicals from plastic waste
Produkcja paliw alternatywnych i cennych chemikaliów z odpadów plastikowych
Janusz Kotowicz, Kamil Niesporek, Oliwia Baszczeńska, Mateusz Brzęczek
Streszczenie
Plastics, due to their organic decomposition capability, pose a significant threat to the natural environment. Microand
nanoparticles of plastic infiltrate the air, aquatic ecosystems, and the food chain, poisoning living organisms. One of the
most commonly used plastics is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which accounts for 6.20% of the global synthetic polymer
production. In recent years, interest in chemical recycling has increased as an alternative to traditional PET waste disposal
methods. Polyethylene terephthalate can be broken down through hydrolysis into ethylene glycol (EG), which can then be
converted into glycolic acid (GA) through further catalytic processes. The article presents the challenges associated with
managing PET waste, with a review of the latest research on the chemical recycling of this material, particularly focusing on
the conversion pathway PET → EG → GA. Additionally, the concept developed within the PHOENIX project is presented,
which involves transforming PET into GA while simultaneously producing propanol from CO, which can be used as fuel in
diesel engines.
nanoparticles of plastic infiltrate the air, aquatic ecosystems, and the food chain, poisoning living organisms. One of the
most commonly used plastics is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which accounts for 6.20% of the global synthetic polymer
production. In recent years, interest in chemical recycling has increased as an alternative to traditional PET waste disposal
methods. Polyethylene terephthalate can be broken down through hydrolysis into ethylene glycol (EG), which can then be
converted into glycolic acid (GA) through further catalytic processes. The article presents the challenges associated with
managing PET waste, with a review of the latest research on the chemical recycling of this material, particularly focusing on
the conversion pathway PET → EG → GA. Additionally, the concept developed within the PHOENIX project is presented,
which involves transforming PET into GA while simultaneously producing propanol from CO, which can be used as fuel in
diesel engines.