3.7.3 Applying the Concept of Biorefinery: Converting
Plastics to Fuel
We don’t know exactly when we will be able to replace plastics with bioplastic
counterparts or to completely degrade synthetic plastics within a reasonable time, it
means that we have to carry on with plastics for a while but what we can really do is
to make them more useful by applying the concept of biorefinery which turns the
plastics to a value added products. Synthetic polymers or plastics can be treated or
recycled in such a way that they yield products that are economically beneficial
(Owusua et al. 2017). One such concept that is in practice in some parts of the world
is to convert used plastics to generate energy see Fig.3.3.
Millions of tons of plastics that are annually feed into the oceans we can set up
instalments to gather plastic waste from our environment and take them to these
industrial treatment plants where they can be treated to produce value-added products. One of the economically feasible and important solution for the plastic waste is
the process of converting it into value-added products such as fuel. It is not only a
beneficial recycling of plastics but also a technique for saving our cities and oceans
to become loaded with tons of garbage and plastic pollutants that are a serious threat
to the life of thousands of species in oceans and on land (Patil and Bagde 2012).
Plastics can be converted into fuel that can be used for the purpose of electricity
generation or other energy purposes. This not only help us to tackle the plastic waste
but also help us to cope with electricity or energy generation problems and shortages.
Fig. 3.3 Representation of a simple mechanism to generate energy by utilizing plastic wastes by
converting them to industrially important products such as fuel
3 Remediation of Water Pollution by Plastics
109
Plastics to Fuel
We don’t know exactly when we will be able to replace plastics with bioplastic
counterparts or to completely degrade synthetic plastics within a reasonable time, it
means that we have to carry on with plastics for a while but what we can really do is
to make them more useful by applying the concept of biorefinery which turns the
plastics to a value added products. Synthetic polymers or plastics can be treated or
recycled in such a way that they yield products that are economically beneficial
(Owusua et al. 2017). One such concept that is in practice in some parts of the world
is to convert used plastics to generate energy see Fig.3.3.
Millions of tons of plastics that are annually feed into the oceans we can set up
instalments to gather plastic waste from our environment and take them to these
industrial treatment plants where they can be treated to produce value-added products. One of the economically feasible and important solution for the plastic waste is
the process of converting it into value-added products such as fuel. It is not only a
beneficial recycling of plastics but also a technique for saving our cities and oceans
to become loaded with tons of garbage and plastic pollutants that are a serious threat
to the life of thousands of species in oceans and on land (Patil and Bagde 2012).
Plastics can be converted into fuel that can be used for the purpose of electricity
generation or other energy purposes. This not only help us to tackle the plastic waste
but also help us to cope with electricity or energy generation problems and shortages.
Fig. 3.3 Representation of a simple mechanism to generate energy by utilizing plastic wastes by
converting them to industrially important products such as fuel
3 Remediation of Water Pollution by Plastics
109