Thermochemical processes such as depolymerization, pyrolysis, catalytic cracking,
and fractional distillation of plastic waste can be employed to obtain different valueadded fuels which include petroleum products such as petrol, kerosene, diesel, lube
oil, furnace oil, and coke. Different catalysts can be used for this purpose such as a
zeolite, clay, alumina, and silicates. A simple schematic representation is shown in
Fig. 3.3.
In the processes of fuel generation using thermal cracking of plastics, the plastic
waste is first crushed into reasonable size and is added to a melter that melts the
plastics. In next step in the pyrolysis chamber high temperature is given in an inert
environment so that the plastic does not catchup fire the reaction than continues to
flow in a chain of treatment finally reaching at a fractionating tower where different
type of fuel is obtained. Steel reactors with temperature ranges between 100 to
400
C are used for the thermal degradation of plastics. The normal yield of the
process ranges between 80–90% which shows that almost the entire plastic is
degraded in the process (Sarker et al. 2014). Fuel is produced from different types
of plastics, for example, polyethylene whose global consumption is 33.5%, the
highest among all other types of plastic and the main contributor of plastic waste
pollution in ocean and water reservoirs so if we produce fuel from only this single
type of plastic we are actually removing the same percent of this plastic from our
environment and saving our seas and oceans (Cleetus et al. 2013).
Apart from the above discussed practical solutions to counter the side effects of
plastic in oceans and on land, there are two other broader sections of the globe and
society that can help us to save our beloved planet Earth. These two broader classes
for the solution of plastic pollution are:
(i) Education, community awareness, and role of nongovernmental organizations.
(ii) Effect government policies regarding the production regulation, use, and disposal of plastics. These are briefly discussed in coming paragraphs.
3.7.4 Education and Community Awareness
Science and scientific discoveries alone cannot help us to tackle water pollution or
environmental pollution caused by plastics. Community awareness and education
are the two most important aspects to spread information of plastic pollution, talk
about the problems, and seeking their solutions. Making people aware of the
problem is the first step to solving it. Public awareness using social media platforms,
advertisement, and local campaigns can spread out messages at a faster rate and with
more efficiency so that a large number of people in different localities and geographical regions will become aware of the problem and can help and support those
who are finding out the solutions for the problem (Ogunola et al. 2018).
It is the reason that educational institutes, research universities, and organizations
can play a vital role in this regard. Universities and research institutes can organize
seminars on the issue while experts of the field can talk with the community on such
platforms to share their ideas about controlling plastic pollution in all of its localities
110
F. Muneer et al.
and fractional distillation of plastic waste can be employed to obtain different valueadded fuels which include petroleum products such as petrol, kerosene, diesel, lube
oil, furnace oil, and coke. Different catalysts can be used for this purpose such as a
zeolite, clay, alumina, and silicates. A simple schematic representation is shown in
Fig. 3.3.
In the processes of fuel generation using thermal cracking of plastics, the plastic
waste is first crushed into reasonable size and is added to a melter that melts the
plastics. In next step in the pyrolysis chamber high temperature is given in an inert
environment so that the plastic does not catchup fire the reaction than continues to
flow in a chain of treatment finally reaching at a fractionating tower where different
type of fuel is obtained. Steel reactors with temperature ranges between 100 to
400
C are used for the thermal degradation of plastics. The normal yield of the
process ranges between 80–90% which shows that almost the entire plastic is
degraded in the process (Sarker et al. 2014). Fuel is produced from different types
of plastics, for example, polyethylene whose global consumption is 33.5%, the
highest among all other types of plastic and the main contributor of plastic waste
pollution in ocean and water reservoirs so if we produce fuel from only this single
type of plastic we are actually removing the same percent of this plastic from our
environment and saving our seas and oceans (Cleetus et al. 2013).
Apart from the above discussed practical solutions to counter the side effects of
plastic in oceans and on land, there are two other broader sections of the globe and
society that can help us to save our beloved planet Earth. These two broader classes
for the solution of plastic pollution are:
(i) Education, community awareness, and role of nongovernmental organizations.
(ii) Effect government policies regarding the production regulation, use, and disposal of plastics. These are briefly discussed in coming paragraphs.
3.7.4 Education and Community Awareness
Science and scientific discoveries alone cannot help us to tackle water pollution or
environmental pollution caused by plastics. Community awareness and education
are the two most important aspects to spread information of plastic pollution, talk
about the problems, and seeking their solutions. Making people aware of the
problem is the first step to solving it. Public awareness using social media platforms,
advertisement, and local campaigns can spread out messages at a faster rate and with
more efficiency so that a large number of people in different localities and geographical regions will become aware of the problem and can help and support those
who are finding out the solutions for the problem (Ogunola et al. 2018).
It is the reason that educational institutes, research universities, and organizations
can play a vital role in this regard. Universities and research institutes can organize
seminars on the issue while experts of the field can talk with the community on such
platforms to share their ideas about controlling plastic pollution in all of its localities
110
F. Muneer et al.