Plastics : Latest technologies and trends in the plastic industry

The plastic industry is experiencing a technological revolution driven by regulatory pressure, environmental concerns, and market demands for more sustainable solutions. 

Recent developments focus on creating plastics that are easier to recycle, developing alternatives to conventional plastics, and improving recycling technologies to handle waste more effectively.

Key technological trends include:

• Advanced recycling technologies: chemical recycling methods are emerging as alternatives to traditional mechanical recycling, breaking down plastics to their molecular components for reuse.
• Bio-based and biodegradable plastics: are gaining market shares as companies seek alternatives to petroleum-based materials.
• Artificial intelligence and robotics: are revolutionizing sorting and recycling processes, making them more efficient and economical.
• Blockchain technology: is being explored for tracking plastic materials through supply chains to verify recycled content claims.
• New polymer designs: focus on easier recyclability and reduced environmental impact throughout the lifecycle.

Chemical recycling technologies include:

• Pyrolysis: breaks down plastic waste using high heat in oxygen-free environments, converting it into oil that can be refined into new plastics or fuels.
• Gasification: converts plastics into synthesis gas (syngas) that can be used as chemical feedstock or energy source
• Depolymerization: breaks specific plastics like PET back into their original monomers, allowing infinite recycling without quality loss.
• Solvent-based purification: dissolves plastics to separate them from contaminants, then precipitates purified plastic for reuse.
• Companies like Eastman, Brightmark Energy and Agilyx have built or are constructing commercial-scale chemical recycling facilities.
• These technologies can theoretically handle contaminated, mixed, or colored plastics that mechanical recycling cannot process.
• Critics argue chemical recycling is energy-intensive, expensive, and may simply enable continued plastic overproduction rather than addressing root causes.

The industry claims chemical recycling is essential to achieving circular economy goals, while environmental groups remain skeptical about scalability and true environmental benefits

Bio-based plastics:

• PLA (polylactic acid): made from corn starch or sugarcane is increasingly used in packaging, textiles, and 3D printing.
• PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoates): produced by bacterial fermentation offers biodegradability in various environments including marine settings.
• Bio-PET: incorporates plant-based components into traditional PET plastic, with companies like Coca-Cola using up to 30% plant-based content in some bottles.
• Cellulose-based materials: derived from wood pulp are being developed as plastic alternatives for films and packaging.
• Companies like Danimer Scientific, NatureWorks and Avantium are scaling up production of bio-based polymers.
• Bio-based: doesn't automatically mean biodegradable, some bio-plastics have identical chemical structure to conventional plastics and persist in the environment.
• Biodegradability: depends on specific conditions (industrial composting facilities) that aren't widely available, leading to consumer confusion.
• Cost remains significantly higher than conventional plastics, though prices are declining as production scales up.

Artificial intelligence and robotics:

• AI-powered optical sorting systems: can identify and separate different plastic types with unprecedented accuracy and speed.
• Robotic arms equipped with computer vision: can pick specific items from conveyor belts faster and more accurately than human sorters.
• Companies like AMP Robotics, ZenRobotics and TOMRA have deployed systems in recycling facilities worldwide.
• Machine learning algorithms: continuously improve sorting accuracy by learning to recognize new products and packaging formats. 
• These systems can identify plastics by resin type, color, and even brand, enabling more precise sorting for high-quality recycling.
• AI systems: can sort materials contaminated in ways that would defeat traditional optical sorters.
• The technology significantly reduces labor costs and improves worker safety by handling hazardous or unpleasant sorting tasks.
• Implementation costs remain high, making the technology most viable for large facilities processing significant volumes.

Biodegradable and compostable plastic technologies include:

• PBAT (polybutylene adipate terephthalate): blends with PLA to create materials that are flexible and compostable under industrial conditions.
• Starch-based plastics: use potato, corn, or tapioca starch as primary components, offering biodegradability and renewable sourcing.
• Mycelium-based materials: grown from mushroom roots are being developed as alternatives to foam packaging
• Seaweed-based: films offer water-soluble, edible packaging options for specific applications.
• Standards like ASTM D6400 and EN 13432: certify industrial compostability, but most require specific facility conditions rarely available to consumers.
• Many "compostable" plastics don't break down in home compost bins, marine environments, or landfills, leading to misleading marketing claims.
• Contamination of conventional plastic recycling streams by compostable plastics creates processing problems.
• The infrastructure for properly composting these materials remains inadequate in most regions, meaning many end up in landfills where they don't "biodegrade".

Mechanical recycling technologies and its recent advances:

• Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy: systems can identify plastic types through packaging and labels with greater precision.
• Advanced washing systems: remove stubborn contaminants like adhesives, inks, and food residues more effectively.
• Compatibilizers: are chemical additives that allow mixing of different plastic types without degrading properties
• Supercritical CO2 processing: uses carbon dioxide under specific pressure and temperature to purify recycled plastics.
• Solid-state shear pulverization: mechanically processes plastics at molecular level to improve recycled material properties.
• New extrusion technologies: can produce higher-quality recycled pellets suitable for more demanding applications.
• Inline quality monitoring: uses sensors and AI to continuously assess and adjust processing parameters for optimal output.

Despite improvements, mechanical recycling still faces fundamental limitations including quality degradation with each recycling cycle and also the inability to handle multi-layer or heavily contaminated materials.

Design for recyclability initiatives:

• Mono-material packaging: uses single plastic types rather than multi-layer combinations, dramatically improving recyclability.
• Detachable labels and sleeves: that separate easily from containers and prevent contamination during recycling.
• Water-based and removable adhesives: replace permanent adhesives that complicate recycling.
• Elimination of black and dark-colored plastics: optical sorters cannot detect these. They are replaced with detectable alternatives.
• Standardized plastic types: use them to simplify sorting and increase recycling efficiency.
• Design guidelines: from organizations like the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and APR (Association of Plastic Recyclers) provide specific recommendations.
• Digital watermarks: are invisible to consumers but readable by sorting equipment to identify packaging composition.

Enzymatic recycling to break down plastics:

• Carbios: developed enzymes that can depolymerize PET plastic in hours rather than centuries, with commercial demonstration plants under construction.
• Protein engineering: creates enzymes optimized for breaking specific polymer bonds more efficiently than naturally occurring enzymes.
• Mutant enzymes: discovered by researchers can break down PET at moderate temperatures, making the process more energy-efficient.
• This technology potentially allows infinite recycling of PET without quality loss, unlike mechanical recycling.
• The process works on coloured, opaque, and mixed PET waste that mechanical recycling struggles with.
• Major brands including L'Oréal, Nestlé Waters and PepsiCo have invested in enzymatic recycling companies.
• The technology currently focuses primarily on PET but research is exploring enzymes for other plastic types.
• Scale-up challenges and costs remain significant barriers to widespread commercial deployment.

Digital technologies for tracking, verification, and optimization:

• Blockchain platforms: create immutable records tracking recycled content from collection through manufacturing.
• QR codes and NFC tags: on packaging allow consumers and recyclers to access information about material composition and proper disposal.
• Digital product passports: provide complete lifecycle information about plastic products, supporting circular economy models.
• IoT sensors: in waste bins and collection trucks optimize collection routes and schedules.
• Predictive analytics: help recycling facilities anticipate material flows and adjust operations accordingly.
• Supply chain platforms: connect plastic waste suppliers with manufacturers seeking recycled materials.
• These technologies address verification challenges around recycled content claims that have undermined trust in sustainability commitments.
• Implementation requires industry-wide standards and cooperation that are still developing.

Alternative systems aim to eliminate single-use plastic packaging:

• Refill and reuse systems: like Loop partner with major brands to offer products in durable, returnable containers.
• Smart packaging: with tracking technology enables automated deposit returns and inventory management.
• Standardized reusable containers: that work across multiple brands and products to build efficient reverse logistics.
• In-store refill stations: for household products, personal care items, and food products.
• Concentrated product formats: that reduce packaging needs by requiring consumers to add water at home.
• Companies like Algramo use smart dispensers in retail environments to eliminate single-use packaging for dry goods.
• Deposit return schemes: are being modernized with digital tracking and automated collection points.
• These systems require significant infrastructure investment and consumer behavior change but could eliminate vast amounts of single-use plastic.

Nanotechnology plastics with enhanced properties:

• Nanocomposites: incorporating nanoclays or nanocellulose improve barrier properties, allowing thinner packaging with equivalent performance.
• Antimicrobial nanoparticles: embedded in plastics extend food shelf life and improve hygiene in medical applications.
• Self-healing plastics: containing nano-capsules that can repair small damages, extending the product lifespan.
• Nano-enabled sensors: integrated into packaging can monitor freshness, temperature exposure, or tampering.
• Biodegradation catalysts: at nanoscale can be incorporated to accelerate breakdown under specific conditions.
• Safety concerns exist about nanoparticle migration into food or environment, requiring ongoing research.
• Regulatory frameworks for nanomaterials in food contact applications are still evolving.

Nanoclays and nanocellulose: are ultra-small particles (measured in nanometers) added to plastics to improve strength, barrier properties, and reduce the amount of plastic needed, nanoclays come from natural clay minerals while nanocellulose comes from plant fibers like wood pulp.

Reshaping the plastic industry's future:

• Economic viability remains a critical barrier for many promising technologies, particularly when virgin plastic from cheap fossil fuels is readily available.
• Infrastructure for collecting, sorting, and processing plastic waste must improve dramatically for advanced technologies to reach their potential.
• Consumer behavior and participation in proper disposal and return systems critically affect technology effectiveness.
• Regulatory pressure and corporate sustainability commitments are accelerating technology adoption despite cost challenges.

Investment in plastic technology innovation has increased dramatically, with billions in venture capital and corporate funding flowing into the sector.
The next decade will determine which technologies achieve commercial scale and whether they can meaningfully reduce plastic's environmental footprint.