Page 54 - Plastics News April 2017

IN THE NEWS

Mobile reactor to convert plastic waste to diesel set to debut

mobile reactor to convert waste plastic into fuel, % plastic waste to land-based sites is no longer needed since
A that usestechnology developed by an India-born the PTF reactor can be placed aboard vessels engaged in
chemist, is soon to make its debut in California in a retrieval of floating plastic wastes and the converted fuels
demonstration project. can be directly used for running these vessels. A statement
released by the American Chemical Society announcing
"Using our efficient Plastic to Fuel (PTF) conversion units,
we are hoping to address the problems of plastics pollution the upcoming demonstration of PTF reactor at Santa Cruz
on land and theocean," Swaminathan Ramesh, a product said: "If we can get people around the world to pick this up
of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bengaluru and and use it to shift waste plastics to fuel and make money,
President of Michigan-based EcoFuel Technologies. Ramesh, we can even eliminate plastic waste before it gets to the
whose company developed the PTF units in partnership oceans by creating value for it locally on a global basis."
with James Holm, founder of Clean Oceans International, That plastic stream, it said, "can be diverted from the ocean
a Santa Cruz, CA, based non-profit, said the goal is to rid and converted to 20-50 million barrels of liquid fuel annually
theworld of plastic waste by creating a market for it. The by the PTF reactors." India is reportedly among countries
researchers presented their results on April 3 at the 253rd that contribute most to plastic debris in the ocean.
National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Kerala, whichgenerates 6,000 tonnes of plastic waste every
Society (ACS) in San Francisco. Piling plastic waste poses day is already toying with the idea of using waste plastics to
a serious threat to marine life and beaches. According to make bricks that can be used to make footpaths and pave
theUnited Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), more roads. Asked if any recycling industry or government agency
than eight million tonnes of plastic finds its way into the in India has shown interest in the PTF technology, Ramesh
oceans annually -- which said: "I have not had muchsuccess with generating too much
is roughly equivalent interest in India (I have not tried too hard anyway). I am
to dumping an entire open to any prospects."
garbage truck of plastic
into the oceans every Registration must for plastic
minute. The UNEP had
warned that by 2050, bag-making in Andhra Pradesh
"the plastic in our oceans would weigh more than all the
fish combined". "Pyrolysis", thetechnology used to break egistration is mandatory for
down plastic waste to obtain hydrocarbon-based fuel, has Rmanufacturers, distributors
been known for years. But this calls for complex and costly and sellers of plastic carry bags
refining steps to make the fuel useable. Ramesh set out to from April 1. The manufacturers
change the game and developed a "metallocene" catalyst should register themselves with
deposited on a porous support material that, coupled the A.P. Pollution Control Board
with a controlled pyrolysis reaction, directly yields diesel and the distributors and sellers
without further refining. It is also cost-effective on a small with the GVMC. GVMC Additional
scale, runs at lower temperatures and is mobile. "Our Commissioner (General) G.V.V.S. Murthy, who held a
process -- catalytic thermal depolymerisation technology meeting with officials and manufacturers, said the
-- is by catalytic pyrolysisand, by careful management of registration by paying the prescribed fee was mandatory
heat transfer and reaction kinetics, we have optimised the following orders issued by the Central government.
yields to be around 90 per cent of the desired fuel," Ramesh Carry bags with less than 50 microns of thickness should
explained. The key catalyst for the reaction was developed not be used, he said. Chief Medical Officer (Health) A.
in his laboratory. Each PTF reactor can convert 100-10,000 Hemant, zone commissioners and assistant medical
pounds of plastic per day. Storage and transport ofBSE 0.30 officers participated.

Plastics News | April 2017 54