It is hard to believe that people lived without plastic for more than 100 years.Plastics are now ubiquitous in our daily lives. They offer low-cost convenience and many other benefits. Plastics can be bent to fit almost any purpose, including making soft toys for children and hard-core parts. They have proven to be vital in medicine, and they have played a pivotal role in the global effort over the past 16 month to slow down the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.These days, plastics are indispensable.They are almost indestructible, which is a problem for the long-term. Plastics now weigh more than 7 billion tons, and more plastics are being made every day. Our planet is facing a crisis because of the ever-growing amount of plastic waste. It clogs landfills and pollutes waterways.In a new issue, Science has published the call to action of four scientists on the plastics problem.The scientists, which include two scientists from the University of Delaware and one from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, California, and another from Sheffield, UK, call for fundamental changes in how plastics are made, produced, used, and recycled.AdvertisementThe ultimate goal is to design, adopt, and ensure a "circular lifecycle" for plastics that does not lead to a landfill, ocean, or roadside but to a long, near-infinite life of valuable resources and reuse of their applications.This requires new approaches in chemistry, engineering, and policy, according to co-authors LaShanda J. Korley, director of Center for Plastics Innovation at the University of Delaware and principal investigator of a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education effort to develop Bio-inspired Materials and Systems. UD's Thomas H. Epps, III, is co-director of CPI, principal investigator of an NSF Growing Convergence Research effort in Materials Life-Cycle Management and director of Center for Sustainable Futures at University of Sheffield.They write that the plastics waste problem is a global issue that needs urgent intervention. This requires a concerted effort linking partners across financial, academic, and government sectors, supported by substantial investments in sustainability.It is a complex task that requires attention to recycling, upcycling (reusing materials in new ways of adding value), the development of new materials, and recognition of the need for under-resourced communities.Korley, Distinguished Professor in Materials Science and Engineering at UD, stated that there is no one-size-fits all solution. She has spent her entire career creating plastics with unique properties. It is amazing how people deal with waste and recycle. It was clear to see the stark differences in single-use plastics usage in Europe, as well as in the U.S. cities and municipalities may use different methods within the same state.Korley stated that complex recipes are common in plastics. They often contain multiple types of polymers and additives. Recycling efforts can be complicated or impossible if each component is not properly accounted for. This is why some types of plastic are accepted and others rejected.AdvertisementHow can plastics be made so that their components can all be disassembled for future products?Korley directs CPI. The CPI's main focus is on "upcycling plastics" -- converting plastic waste into useful materials like fuels or lubricants. To reconstitute certain types of plastic, researchers use enzymes and catalysis. These include high-density and low-density plasticethylene (HDPE), polystyrene/Styrofoam and sandwich bags, coffee cups, and milk jugs.Korley stated that different materials properties require different polymers, blends, and additives. This contributes to the complexity of waste management.This Science paper addresses these and other issues with urgency. It also reflects the dangers to a planet choked in discarded plastics that won't be going away anytime soon.Some of these realities can be very grim. For example, the plastic water bottle you used to quench your thirst five years ago after a morning run. It will likely be with us for 395 more years. We are also not helped by slow deterioration. Scientists discovered that micro-particles of plastic from the food and water we consume are present in our bodies.Plastic waste that is less than 10% recycled can be recycled once only. Around 12% of plastic waste will be incinerated. Millions of tons worth of plastic waste end up in oceans and rivers, where it collects in huge swirls.Helms was a coauthor at the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and part of the team that developed a next-generation plastic called PDK. This plastic can be reduced to its molecular components and reassembled as necessary.Helms stated that the announcement of the new material brought us to a crucial point. These facilities could be designed to upcycle or recycle PDK and other plastics. This would allow us to divert more plastic from the oceans and landfills. It is a great time to begin thinking about how to design materials and recycling facilities that enable circular plastics.Monomers, which are the building blocks of plastics, are composed of elements such as carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. These monomers can be linked to form polymers by chemical bonds. This allows plastics to be made into many forms for different purposes.Ryan from Sheffield said that single-use applications can destroy the value of all these resources. Ryan calls it "convenient truth". The convenience and low cost of such products makes them attractive to consumers without acknowledging the intrinsic value and environmental cost. He is particularly concerned by marketing strategies that claim certain plastics are "green" or biodegradable in order to attract well-intentioned customers.He stated that the greatest problem in plastics sustainability is the cynical use of 'greenwash'. "So, I was keen to work alongside Thomas and LaShanda on this. Since their Ph.D. days, I've known them. StudentsInnovation and collaboration are the pillars of their new centers. Korley's U.S. Department of Energy-backed CPI and Epps’ NSF-backed CHARM and GCR are Korley and Epps. They are the Allan and Myra Ferguson Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.Ryan stated that he believes a circular economy is crucial. Ryan sees the importance of recycling, upcycling, and developing new materials. However there is no "silver bullet" solution. Recognizing the true value of plastics is key to solving the plastics problem.He stated that the solution was something America isn't very good at: regulations, tax policy and taxation. There is no easy solution to the plastics problem. It is unlikely that an unrestrained market will provide the solution."The answer to all these questions where science, engineering and society intersect is: It's complicated."Ryan believes that a more accurate view is to see the plastics issue as related to climate change.He said that climate change was both an inconvenient and invisible truth. "You don't know what is causing it, and neither can you see carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Climate change is not something you associate with driving to the store.You do often associate plastics waste with certain things. That is a useful truth. It is no problem to take fossil fuels and make plastics. We now need to care for that precious plastic. Do not just toss it. It is just too expensive. We need to make it artificially expensive because of the pollution problem.Ryan stated that lifecycle analysis data is crucial for making evidence-based decision. This is something consumers and legislators can't do on their own. They need experts to help them understand the benefits and costs of each option.He said, "It's much more complicated than most people are willing or able to consider."It is a call to action that is broad.The authors stated that "To create a more sustainable future, it is vital to integrate not only technological considerations but also equity analysis and consumer behavior, geographic demands, policy reforms, life-cycle assessment. infrastructure alignment, supply chain partnerships, and other factors."Korley stated that she is seeing a growing passion for this difficult challenge.She said, "These initiatives fuel excitement among our students - high school, undergraduate, graduate and postdocs." People are passionate about improving the world. They can also talk to their grandmother, niece, or nephew about why they believe the work they do is important.
