The reality of waste-derived fuels: up in the air
Turning waste into fuels has not been successful for over three decades. Would it work any better for jet fuels? Most likely not. Dr. Andrew Rollinson disputes industry claims after looking into the latest research and the trends on waste-derived jet fuels. Among the...
5 Things Plastic Polluters Don’t Want you to Know about Chemical Recycling
Imagine if we could solve plastic pollution with one miracle technology. Sound too good to be true? That’s because it is. Here are 5 things plastic polluters don’t want you to know about chemical “recycling.” Produced in collaboration with Changing Markets...
Understanding the Environmental Impacts of Chemical Recycling – Ten concerns with existing life cycle assessments
This joint paper presents key findings from a review of some of the most commonly cited chemical recycling and recovery LCAs, which reveal major flaws and weaknesses regarding scientific rigour, data quality, calculation methods, and interpretations of the...
Fact Sheet: False solutions to the Plastic Pollution Crisis
Fact Sheet: False solutions to the Plastic Pollution Crisis As the global plastic pollution crisis continues to grow, so does industry hype around techno-fixes, including waste-to-energy incineration and chemical processing of plastic waste. Such...
US Legislation Alert: American Chemistry Council’s Effort to Push “Plastic-to-fuel” Bills
In 2017-2020, the plastics and chemical industry, represented by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), led an effort to make legislative changes to statewide policies to promote pyrolysis or "plastic-to-fuel" (PTF). This strategy not only promotes a techno-fix with...
All Talk and No Recycling: An Investigation of the U.S. “Chemical Recycling” Industry
Amid overwhelming plastic pollution and an exponential rise in plastic production, the fossil fuel industry has touted chemical or "advanced" recycling as a solution to the plastic crisis. However, a new report by the Global Alliance for Incinerator...
Chemical Recycling Technical Assessment and Briefing
GAIA has released a new technical analysis authored by chemical engineers Dr. Andrew Neil Rollinson and Dr. Jumoke Oladejo. The report reveals that chemical recycling is polluting, energy intensive, and has a track record of technical failures, and concludes that it...
Chemical Recycling: Distraction, Not Solution
GAIA has released a new technical analysis authored by chemical engineers Dr. Andrew Neil Rollinson and Dr. Jumoke Oladejo. The report reveals that chemical recycling is polluting, energy intensive, and has a track record of technical failures. The plastic pollution...
Chemical Recycling: Miracle Cure, or Snake Oil?
By Claire Arkin, Communications Coordinator As people around the world call for an end to plastic pollution, the plastic and petrochemical industry has seized upon a silver bullet solution: chemical recycling, or “advanced recycling.” This older, failed technology has...
Fact Sheet: Chemical Recycling
Questions and Answers: Chemical Recycling Industry is now pushing for a new technological fix for plastic waste, called "chemical recycling." New proposals are popping up in Australia, the EU, Indonesia, Malaysia,Thailand, and the U.S., increasingly supported by...
Waste Gasification & Pyrolysis: High Risk, Low Yield Processes for Waste Management
Over $2 billion was invested in the projects listed in this report alone, all of which closed or were canceled before commencing operations.