Research at the Idaho National Laboratory allows for the conversion of ocean plastics into fuels and chemicals.
The addition of biomass, particularly ground pine, helps avoid melted masses and improves the quality of the resulting pellets.
Idaho National Laboratory's Research Revolutionizes the Utilization of Ocean Plastics.
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing issues of our time, prominently visible in massive plastic patches like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The Idaho National Laboratory (INL) tackles this challenge by collaborating with the Biomass Feedstock User Facility (BFNUF) to convert ocean plastics into useful fuels and chemicals. The Ocean Plastics Recovery Project (OPRP) and other organizations have provided INL with a substantial amount of ocean plastic to support this promising initiative.
The research focuses on converting plastic waste, including nets, buoys, and other debris, as well as baled Capri Sun packages, which consist of 80% plastic and 20% aluminum, into high-quality fuels. A challenge was to avoid melted masses caused by entangled fishing nets. Here, innovation came into play by adding approximately 20% ground pine to facilitate material movement and create a porous surface for binding with the plastic.
The key to successfully converting ocean plastics lies in the synergy between plastic and biomass. Researchers are not only examining the impact on the conversion process from biomass pellets to biofuels but also how the blend of plastic and biomass influences performance, especially when chlorine-rich packaging films are used.
These groundbreaking insights enable the BFNUF team to better prepare for challenges in handling heterogeneous materials. The conversion of harmful ocean plastics into valuable fuels and chemicals becomes a crucial step in the fight against environmental pollution.
