Scientists close the cycle on recycling mixed plastics

Gaywallet (they/it)@beehaw.orgmod to Science@beehaw.org – 44 points –
Scientists close the cycle on recycling mixed plastics
phys-org.cdn.ampproject.org
5

This is a massive breakthrough that will benefit the entire planet. Great news!

Let's have plastic producers demonstrate their product can be recycled cheaply at scale before selling it. And the logical next step is require all plastic sold to be at least 50% recycled to ensure recycling is commercially viable and actually done at scale.

We shouldn't be producing mountains of plastic waste then let society struggle for 40 years to find a way to recycle all of it (burning isn't recycling). It should be the other way around, producers should demonstrate recycling first and use recycled plastic in their production.

Interesting discovery! I'd bet oil and petrochemical companies would be all over funding and trying to commercialize this research, because it means we wouldn't need to fully "wean off plastics"...