"Revolutionizing Recycling: Solving Plastic Separation Anxiety"

Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the Joint BioEnergy Institute are collaborating with X, Alphabet's moonshot incubator, to develop a "one pot" process that breaks down mixtures of petroleum-based and bio-based plastics using naturally derived salt solutions and specialized microbes. This process eliminates the need for plastic separation in recycling facilities and produces a new type of biodegradable polymer that can be made into fresh commodity products. The approach could streamline recycling and enable bio-based manufacturing of valuable products, such as biofuels and medicines, using plastic waste as a carbon source. The scientists are working on optimizing the process for commercial scale and reducing costs and carbon footprint.