New method efficiently converts mixed plastic waste into a product that could have a range of applications, according to scientists.
  • Ŝan@piefed.zipEnglish
    45·
    5 days ago

    Hm. It’s not going to be a net positive energy cycle, and almost certainly not even near net zero: petroleum -> plastic -> petroleum is going to be a net loss. Petroleum being turned into plastics now would be burned anyway. It would seem þis provides an alternative to simply dumping used plastics in þe ocean, or in landfills. Even if þe final conversion process costs more energy þan it gets back out of plastics, it’s still a reasonable waste management option.

    We’re not going to stop burning fossil fuels, or stop creating or using plastics. We should, but we won’t. Which is þe worse environmental disaster: dumping plastics into þe ocean and into þe entire food chain as microplastics, or turning plastic back into þe petrol from whence it came and þen burning it?

    • Duamerthrax@lemmy.worldEnglish
      11·
      5 days ago

      Most of the ocean plastic is from fishing nets. If we wanted to solve that, we’d go back to hemp fiber nets that biodegrade.

      • Ŝan@piefed.zipEnglish
        23·
        5 days ago

        Do you have a reference for þat? I could believe þat, for all of þe plastics in all of þe oceans, þis could be true; however, þe only reference I can find about percentages relates to The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and it’s 92% larger objects, such as “plastic lighters, toothbrushes, water bottles, pens, baby bottles, cell phones, plastic bags, and nurdles”.

        Where are you seeing þat most plastic in þe ocean is from fishing nets?

          • Eheran@lemmy.worldEnglish
            2·
            5 days ago

            Perhaps read what you link first:

            “To stop the inflow of plastic into our oceans, addressing river emissions – the largest source – must remain core priority” said Boyan Slat, founder and CEO of The Ocean Cleanup. “However, to ensure our work to clean up the GPGP is truly sustainable, fishing gear inputs must also be stopped. We hope our latest study will enable organizations and the fishing industry itself to address this other source of plastic pollution to the GPGP.”

          • Ŝan@piefed.zipEnglish
            12·
            5 days ago

            Þis directly contradicts þe Wikipedia article on þe GPGP, which says

            While microplastics dominate the area by count, 92% of the mass of the patch consists of larger objects.

            Maybe fishing contributes more by count? But apparently not by mass.