Single-use no more: Plastic bottles can be upcycled to more durable materials

Single-use plastics cause plastic pollution, a problem that affects rivers, lakes, and oceans. To address this concern, researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) developed a recycling process that turns various materials made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into other useful products that will last longer. NREL’s research was published in the journal Joule. What is polyethylene terephthalate (PET)? Polyethylene terephthalate … Continue reading Single-use no more: Plastic bottles can be upcycled to more durable materials

New material made from recycled plastic bottles could help reduce water pollution

Singaporean researchers have come up with a new incentive for people to recycle disposable PET plastic bottles instead of just throwing them away. They can turn the plastic waste into a group of very useful materials called aerogels, which would make the disposable bottles well worth the effort of holding on to or recovering from landfills. Aerogels … Continue reading New material made from recycled plastic bottles could help reduce water pollution