‘Will effectively solve the problem’

A new facility in China is revolutionizing plastics recycling, aiming to speed up the process and create a cleaner chemical industry in the country.

The plant, located in the city of Jieyang in the eastern part of Guangdong province, is set to process 200,000 tons of plastic annually, according to China Daily. Part of the innovation is the plant’s “one-step” chemical processing of lower-grade plastic without the need for sorting.

“Through deep catalytic cracking, low value mixed scrap plastics are directly converted into high value-added chemical raw materials in a ‘one-step’ process, which will effectively solve the problem of plastic pollution and achieve high-value recycling and utilization,” Wang Shaole, deputy Party secretary of Jieyang city, told the outlet. 

Wang also stated that the government is fully behind the project and plans to support it through upcoming phases, to recycle over three million tons of scrap plastic annually.

This new plant is sure to make a dent in the plastic problem reporting that as of 2022, there are about 44 million metric tons of plastic waste produced by the U.S. annually.

The real highlight of the plant’s process is the fact that the plastic doesn’t need to be sorted ahead of time. In the U.S., only 21% of plastics in the household get recycled, with the remainder ending up in landfills.

The other issue is that the traditional methods of recycling aren’t designed to deal with some of the more complex plastics on the market today.

Plastic pollution creates health issues for both humans and wildlife. In our oceans find their way into our soil, food, and drinking water. 

Microplastics have been linked to health issues like reproductive problems, dementia, and cancer. By recycling as much plastic as possible, we can keep it out of our oceans and our bodies. 

Improved recycling is important, but just as important is cutting down on using plastic in everyday life. There are all sorts of plastic-free options in everything from take-out containers to makeup packaging, and they’re worth investing in for our collective future.

Massive projects like the recycling plant are crucial for less waste on a global scale.

“And with the vigorous promotion and application of the project in the following years, it is expected to help alleviate China’s external dependence on crude oil and contribute Guangdong’s wisdom and Chinese solutions to the world’s development of the green circular economy,” said Wang at a news conference, per China Daily.

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