Giant microwave turns plastic back to oil

A US company is taking plastics recycling to another level – turning them back into the oil they were made from, and gas.

All
that is needed, claims Global Resource Corporation (GRC), is a finely
tuned microwave and – hey presto! – a mix of materials that
were made from oil can be reduced back to oil and combustible gas (and
a few leftovers).

Key
to GRC’s process is a machine that uses 1200 different
frequencies within the microwave range, which act on specific
hydrocarbon materials. As the material is zapped at the appropriate
wavelength, part of the hydrocarbons that make up the plastic and
rubber in the material are broken down into diesel oil and combustible
gas.

GRC's
machine is called the Hawk-10. Its smaller incarnations look just like
an industrial microwave with bits of machinery attached to it. Larger
versions resemble a concrete mixer.

"Anything
that has a hydrocarbon base will be affected by our process," says
Jerry Meddick, director of business development at GRC, based in New
Jersey. "We release those hydrocarbon molecules from the material and
it then becomes gas and oil."

Whatever does not have a hydrocarbon base is left behind, minus any water it contained as this gets evaporated in the microwave.

http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn12141-giant-microwave-turns-plastic-back-to-oil.html

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