Breakthrough Technology in Plastics Recycling

A novel method for recycling PLA using low-temperature, low-pressure reactions with alcohol or water has recently been developed. PLA is used today in many applications ranging from food packaging to implantable medical devices. Because of its sensitivity to thermal degradation, PLA is difficult to recycle and actually becomes a contaminant in the plastics stream of municipal solid waste. Using the newly discovered process, different grades of PLA can be removed from a stream of commingled plastics and broken down to give high value chemicals. Some of these chemicals, called monomers, can be purified and used as feedstock to synthesize virgin PLA resin, thereby “closing the loop” on the PLA life cycle.  This result is achieved by carrying out depolymerization reactions while the PLA is in solution.