'The unmaking of plastic': These companies are trying to reinvent recycling

At least 60 chemical companies are racing to develop technology that can return trash to its original hydrocarbon ingredients, according to a report Tuesday. The process — call it the unmaking of plastic — creates clean, virgin resin that can be used for new products, avoiding the need to pump oil for endless fresh batches. aThe stakes couldn’t be higher for an industry under attack for producing a ubiquitous material essential to modern life that’s grown notorious for choking the world’s oceans and killing its animals. Resin makers and consumer brands are trying to head off a global backlash that’s already eroding demand for their products.