Plastic Recycling Not Requiring Sorting Could Be Coming - CleanTechnica

Northwestern University chemists have developed a novel plastic upcycling process using an inexpensive nickel-based catalyst that can selectively break down polyolefin plastics—primarily polyethylene and polypropylene, which constitute nearly two-thirds of global plastic use. This catalyst enables the recycling of large volumes of unsorted polyolefin waste, bypassing the traditionally labor-intensive sorting step. The catalyst converts low-value solid plastics into liquid oils and waxes, which can be upcycled into higher-value products like lubricants, fuels, and candles. Notably, it can also process plastics contaminated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a toxic polymer that typically hinders recycling efforts. Polyolefins are ubiquitous in everyday items such as condiment bottles, milk jugs, plastic wrap, and disposable utensils, and they are mostly single-use plastics with very low recycling rates globally—ranging from less than 1% to 10%. This low recycling rate is largely due to the chemical resilience of polyolefins, which consist of