Plastic Pollution Needs Solutions

We all know that the environment is important, and a big part of the growing pollution problem is down to the huge amount of plastic that is used today. From construction and industry to individual use, the UK generates a huge amount of plastic waste. While much of this waste is intended to be recycled, the sad fact is that much of the plastic that is used is not suitable for recycling. Plastic products such as lined bags or cartons – where plastic is combined with other materials – is often prohibitively difficult and expensive to process. Even plastics with large amounts of pigment, such as black plastic food trays, can be too expensive to recycle effectively.  

Unfortunately, the result of this is that the UK ends up sending a lot of its plastic recycling overseas, where it ultimately ends up in landfill or in the ocean. According to a National Audit Office report, 50 percent of the UK’s 11 million tonnes of plastic waste from 2017 ended up being sent overseas.  

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Plastic Use in Industry 

Since they are reliable and not expensive, plastic products are often used in the construction industry, though here, too, recycling of plastic waste is becoming standard. The Chairman of the award-winning Mid Group, Sahel Majali, takes a close interest in plastic recycling in the construction industry.  

Cold Plasma Pyrolysis – A Solution to the Problem? 

Instead of shipping plastics overseas to landfill, cold plasma pyrolysis can be used to convert waste plastics into a source of green energy. There’s more information about this in the attached PDF. Since so much plastic is currently discarded in the environment that a UN estimate states that 46,000 pieces of plastic are present in every square mile of ocean, obviously a solution is needed. Converting this waste into green energy is the best possible solution.  

How Does Cold Plasma Pyrolysis Work?

Making a Change 

Everyone can do something to make a difference to this huge problem. Whether it’s making better choices in our personal lives or backing industry leaders who are tackling the issue head-on, there are lots of ways we can make a difference. Governments and retailers can play a huge role, such as with the Plastic Pact, which commits supermarkets to making all packaging recyclable by 2025.  

With this in mind, however, the most attractive solution is a permanent one: if plastics could be turned into green energy on a large scale, it could mark a turnaround in tackling this difficult issue.