There is gold in them thar hills - Mining for plastic

Plastic mining

It's only a matter of time when fossil fuels become a dark distant relative to newer, advance forms of energy production as part of a future concern for climate change and circular economics. As governments and experts fight for the right answers, it will become harder to justify taking natural resources without reason.  

There is no doubt that in this struggle for future minds, the cost of extraction will become either too costly or ethically problematic. Technology may hold the key to unlocking energy as well as cleaning up the environment cost-effectively. One possible way is to mine for waste plastic! 

Plastic is formed from carbon generated polymers, potentially with huge amounts of energy locked in at a molecular level. Once released, it will help reduce carbon fuel dependency as well reducing waste and pollution.

For over 70 years, we have been ploughing spent plastic into our soil and oceans.There is evidence that it could take 1000's of years to break down. This is a lot of wasted energy, buried and waiting to be found. The key is to get it out and process it efficiently and cleanly as possible.

A great concept, but the cost of changing the plastic state will require a lot of energy and therefore not be cost effective. However in the near future, assisted by science and technology, this will be solvable.  I envisage a future where either a chemical will be added to break down the plastic or to allow it to be burnt with a lower energy consumption. Once broken down or processed, the synthetic crude could be the new black, green, red, yellow gold.  Time will tell...so watch this space....

Mike Nash