Turn Plastic Back to Oil?

The BLEST company from Japan introduced a machine back in 2007 that they claim can revert waste plastic back to its oil form, without the use of flames or excessive gas emissions. The claim was revisited recently by Our World 2.0. Check out the excerpt below.

Though Japan has much improved its “effective utilization” rate over the years to 72% in 2006, that leaves 28% of plastic to be buried in landfills or burned. According to Plastic Waste Management Institute data, “effective utilization” includes not just the 20% that is actually recycled, but also 52% that is being incinerated for “energy recovery” purposes, i.e., generating heat or electric power.

“If we burn the plastic, we generate toxins and a large amount of CO2. If we convert it into oil, we save CO2 and at the same time increase people’s awareness about the value of plastic garbage,” says Akinori Ito, CEO of Blest.

Blest’s conversion technology is very safe because it uses a temperature controlling electric heater rather than flame. The machines are able to process polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene (numbers 2-4) but not PET bottles (number 1). The result is a crude gas that can fuel things like generators or stoves and, when refined, can even be pumped into a car, a boat or motorbike. One kilogram of plastic produces almost one liter of oil. To convert that amount takes about 1 kilowatt of electricity, which is approximately ¥20 or 20 cents’ worth.

Check out this You Tube Video

EMECO x COKE Recycled Plastic Chairs

In 2006 Coca-Cola approached Emeco, the aluminum chair company, to make a chair out of recycled PET material. Emeco jumped on the challenge and in April of 2010 have finally released their creation at the Milan Furniture Show. Working closely with petrochemical innovators BASF, they have formulated new materials to enhance the strength of rPET and create a new color palette to suite their product. In addition, substantial improvements were implemented on the mould design and manufacturing process to accommodate the recycled materials.

The result? 111 Navy Chair™, a plastic chair made from 111 (one hundred and eleven) plastic Coca-Cola bottles.

“The goal of the 111 Navy project was to alter consumer behavior by illustrating the value of rPET with beautifully designed and everyday products - ultimately encouraging more recycling.”

Source: NotCot, EMECO

PLASTIKI - A Boat Made of Recycled PET

A boat made using over 12,000 PET bottles has set sail on a voyage that will take them across the Pacific Ocean from the western coast of North America to the Eastern Coast of Australia. The mission is to raise awareness of environmental issues this planet faces and also address social issues whist driving innovative solution.

"It’s about recognizing that waste is fundamentally a design flaw (it does not appear in nature) It’s about re-thinking waste as a resource. It’s about cyclical ‘cradle-to-cradle’ philosophies rather than linear thinking when it comes to how we design our world. It’s about a better understanding of the lifecycle’s and materials used in our everyday lives. It’s about being curious and open, being prepared to let go of assumptions in order to undertake a new ‘Planet 2.0’ way of thinking and acting. It’s about acknowledging that we don’t have all the answers and that nobody is as smart as everybody. It’s about being collaborative and curious so to engage multiple perspectives, skills, opinions and organizations. It’s about constantly learning, unlearning and re-learning. It’s about re-integrating back into the web of life by recognizing and reducing our human fingerprints on the natural world. It’s about moving on from just articulating the problems and inspiring action of the solutions. It’s about encouraging the world to reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink more of the planets natural resources. It’s about delivering a spectacular global “Message in a Bottle”."

This is a landmark expedition that we hope paves the way for more adventurous entrepreneurs to give something back by opening the door to new possibilities. You can follow the voyages of the PLASTIKI on the their website. The voyage will take 3 months to complete and we wish them the best of luck.

Source: PLASTIKI

Recyled PET Bottle Dwellings

While PET beverage packaging is practical and cost effective, most manufacturers and consumers alike are aware of the environmental impact our addiction to PET has on this planet. While we can not eliminate the need for PET bottles, there are more solutions available to recycle PET.

Individual environmentalists and scientists have been working with impoverished communities in Latin America and Caribbean nations using waste PET bottles to build homes. They have demonstrated that by filling bottles with silted sand and with their method of construction, "PET bottles make a tougher, more durable construction material than common concrete blocks used in most Central American building."

PET bottles are either woven together and stacked with reinforcement to make walls or even poured in molds with cement to create modular panels.

Not only has this method proven to be practical and durable, some conversationalists are even making these homes look good!

With an island of PET the size of North America taking shape in the Pacific Ocean and our demand for packaged beverages on the rise, this is just another solution for 3rd world markets to consider.

Sources: Learning Site, Temasactuales, EcoPop

NAYA Spring Water x 100% Reycled PET Bottles

Naya Spring Water said it is the first bottled water company to use 100 per cent recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) in its containers, as it prepares to roll out the product in the United States.

The Canada-based company said it had overcome a number of challenges to bring the bottle to market after investing seven years in its development.

Finding a supplier to develop the technology to make a container of partial and then total recycled plastic had been the first hurdle, a Naya spokesman told FoodProductionDaily.com. Ensuring sufficient supply once the technology was in place and obtaining health certification from various Government agencies had been two more challenges. The final test had been to secure enough retail orders to make the product commercially viable, he added.

Daniel Cotte, president of Naya Waters, said: “We are proud to be the first major spring water brand to introduce 100 percent recycled plastic bottles, which is a win for the environment as well as for consumers who enjoy bottled water and want to reduce their impact. This innovation is another demonstration of our commitment to put the environment at the heart of Naya's company strategy."

While there is an ever growing need for packaged beverages, it is good to see that companies are finally taking the initiative to source more environmentally friendly packaging. The main problem is that there are few cost effective alternatives to PET.

SIE43 PET Bottle Chair by Pawel Grunert

One of the most obvious drawbacks of using PET bottles is the hornedous toll the waste takes on the environment. While this innovative furniture design by Pawel Grunert is thought provoking, it does not serve any practical function. Constructed from a steel frame sruture and fitted with numerous bottles that can easily be changed out when damaged, the design is visually appealing but I doubt it would be too comfortable to sit on. It was featured at the Ecotrans Pop Exhibition in April 2009.