Page 158 - CW E-Magazine (27-2-2024)

News from Abroad

CHEMICAL RECYCLING
‘Enzyme in laundry detergent can help recycle single-

use plastics in 24 hours’

Scientists at King’s College London their chemical building blocks. Once
have developed a novel method that converted into monomers, the materials
uses enzymes found in laundry deter- can be turned into equally high-quality
gents for recycling single-use bioplas- plastic for multiple reuse.
tics commonly used in disposable items
such as coffee cups and food containers. While bioplastics-derived from bio-
logical sources such as corn starch,
The method, described in the jour- cassava or sugarcane-are seen as a more
nal Cell Reports Physical Science, uses sustainable choice by consumers, cur-
the enzymes to depolymerise or break- rent methods of bioplastics production
down landfill-bound bioplastics into are costly and compete with food-based
soluble fragments within just 24 hours. liquids have the ability to convert com- agriculture for use of land. Mechani-
mon plastics into soluble fragments, cal recycling methods are inefficient,
Using enzymes for any kind of which enzymes can then degrade. generate CO and are incapable of pro-
2
industrial processing, including plastic ducing high-quality reusable materials,
recycling, is attractive because they can The process achieves full degradation they said. These “green” plastics pri-
be more efficient than other chemicals. of the bioplastic polylactic acid (PLA) in marily end up in landfill after just one
But they tend to be unstable, especially at an approach that is 84 times faster than use, causing many retailers to revert to
the relatively high temperatures needed the 12-week-long industrial composting using oil and fossil-based materials.
to break down plastics. process used for recycling bioplastic
materials, the researchers said. The speed at which the bioplastics
The researchers worked with break down using this new method
Candida antarctica lipase B (CaLB) – The research offers a widespread could revolutionise plastic production,
an enzyme commonly found in laundry recycling solution for single-use PLA offering an efficient, scalable and sus-
detergent. They chemically modified it plastics, as the scientists found that in tainable blueprint for recycling sin-
to make it soluble and stable in a class a further 24 hours at a temperature of gle-use bioplastics, according to the
of solvents called ionic liquids. Ionic 90°C, the bioplastics break down into researchers.

ENERGY TRANSITION
Solvay ends use of coal at US soda ash facility

Belgian chemicals firm, Solvay, has “Solvay is determined to under- Solvay’s global sustainability goals
announced the successful completion take its energy transition and reduce include a commitment to phase out coal
of its coal phase-out initiative at its US its carbon footprint through a number for energy production before 2030.
Green River soda ash plant. of initiatives, including coal phase-out. By 2025, overall emissions from Green
From today, we will no longer use coal River will have decreased by 20%
The Green River facility produces at Green River. The decision to power compared to 2021, despite a 25%
soda ash and sodium bicarbonate from this strategic, natural soda ash faci- increase in production.
trona, a naturally occurring mineral. lity with natural gas enhances Solvay’s
These products are used in numer- long-term competitiveness and sustain- Following acquisition of the plant’s
ous applications including detergents, ability,” said Mr. Philippe Kehren, full ownership, Solvay announced
glass, food and flue gas treatment, as Solvay’s CEO. plans in November 2022 to resume
well as fast growing markets for solar the construction of a 600-ktpa soda
panels and lithium carbonate for elec- The Green River plant historically ash capacity expansion. The comple-
tric battery vehicles. used coal as a primary energy source. tion of the new terminal at the port of

158 Chemical Weekly February 27, 2024

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