GLOBAL EYE
Scientists break down plastic waste using air
PLANET EARTH
WORDS BEN TURNER
S cientists have developed a new method to break down plastic waste using moisture from the air. By exposing a common type of plastic to an inexpensive catalyst and leaving it exposed to ambient air, researchers broke down 94 per cent of the material in just four hours. The plastic transformed into terephthalic acid (TPA), a highly valuable building block for polyesters. Because TPA can be upcycled into more valuable materials, the process offers a safer and cheaper alternative to current plastic recycling methods.