Catalytic Upcycling of Plastic Waste into High Value-added Chemicals

Abstract

Plastic is widely used in almost every sector of the modern economy owing to its low cost, durability, lightweight, and versatility. The mass use of plastic started in the 1950s and has exponentially increased ever since. Today, the world produces more than 350 million tons of plastic every year. However, of the 8.3 billion metric tons that have been produced, only nine percent have been recycled. The pandemic accelerates the use of single-use plastics for packaging and food delivery, which is intensifying our plastic waste problem. In this study, the latest research trends on the chemical recycling of waste plastics using heterogeneous catalysts will be discussed.