Probably the biggest PET recycling (not down cycling) project ever…? I think materials circular economy is on the cusp of a boom.
Conversation
Reminds of the flood of big Li-ion battery project announcements a few years back, competing with gas peakers. Infrastructure changes are like Hemingway bankruptcy. Happens in 2 ways: gradually, then suddenly.
1
1
6
Though plastics waste (and microplastics pollution and potential endocrine disruption crisis) is far less urgent than decarbonization, I suspect things will move much faster because public cares way more, like 1000x more. Kinda like visible homelessness vs invisible poverty.
2
8
I’m told PET is the best of the plastics for externalities, so the equivalent of “electrify everything” in plastics is “PETify everything.”
2
2
9
Replying to
PET, if it has no additives (PVC is sometimes added) can be shredded, ground, and reused several times before it badly degrades. I think this is already happening on a large scale, perhaps not under one roof.
The tough part is automating colour and ingredient separations.
1
3

