Scientists in Germany have found a process to break down a particularly stubborn type of trash via a process that could redefine how we dispose of waste.
According to SciTechDaily, researchers have discovered that iron-based electrocatalysis transforms polystyrene foam into materials that can be recycled into other processes and produces hydrogen as a side effect.
The process uses an iron-based catalyst that cycles through oxidation phases, breaking down the chemical structure of the polystyrene as it does so. Per the SciTechDaily report, it turns the foam into things like benzoic acid, a key component in the creation of many scents and preservatives, as well as producing hydrogen, which could be used in the push for cleaner forms of fuel.
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Unlike other ways plastic and foam are broken down — using caustic chemicals that can further damage the environment — iron is non-toxic, easily and naturally obtained, and cheap, as the report detailed. Further enhancing the benefits of the new process, it can be powered exclusively using available solar panels and other clean energy sources.
Polystyrene, and other plastic waste, is a massive problem for our planet. Currently, less than 10% of the plastic produced in the world is recycled. It accumulates in the environment and breaks apart into microplastics, while the petroleum chemicals used to create it often leach into soil, polluting it further.
Polystyrene is a particularly tricky plastic to get rid of. In the U.S., it's estimated less than 1% of it is recycled, and key ingredient styrene has been identified as a possible human carcinogen. On top of that, research has suggested it may take thousands of years to break down naturally, but it does break into tiny parts in the meantime, which enter the food and water supply and can do profound harm to wildlife. When it is recycled — through a process of chemical recycling that is rarely available — it's usually broken down into a fuel that is burned and pumps planet-warming carbon into the atmosphere, as detailed by Beyond Plastics.
Scientists have made strides in finding environmentally conscious ways of disposing of plastic, including using unusual chemical solvents and mealworm larvae (which also reportedly help consume polystyrene). They've also discovered a way to produce PVC, one of the most commonly used plastics in the world, to minimize the amount of microplastics produced by it.
In this case, the researchers believe their process will be easily scalable to an industrial level, which — along with minimizing personal plastic usage — could help to revolutionize our fight against plastic waste.
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