Breakthrough in polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol recycling
Breakthrough in polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol recycling
Sep 24, 2023
The plastic materials polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol can now be degraded under mild conditions with the help of enzymes as biocatalysts. Scientists from the University of Greifswald have developed corresponding methods together with the German company Covestro and teams from Leipzig and Dublin, as recently published in the journal Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., in two separate articles. It has thus been possible to establish a sustainable and environmentally-friendly process to recycle these polymers.
This helps to address the worldwide problem of plastic waste based on the example of these two synthetic polymers, which are produced industrially at large scale.
Plastics are currently indispensable for the production of construction materials, electric insulation, drinks and food packaging, textiles and many more applications. Unfortunately, the mass production of synthetic polymers, especially for packaging materials, has led to an enormous waste problem for the environment. The polymers polyurethane and polyvinyl alcohol contribute to approximately 8 percent of the European plastic production. For several years methods to achieve an environmentally-friendly recycling of plastics have been the subject of intense investigations. This would not only relieve the environment, but also reduce the amount of petrol required to make new plastics chemically. Furthermore, less of the greenhouse gas CO2 would be emitted by garbage incineration plants that currently burn plastic waste.