Can Chemical Recycling Solve the Challenges of Plastic Recycling?
Videos
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Chemistry, Engineering
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Provided by PBS NewsHour
What it is
- This video details the traditional problems with recycling plastic and provides information on new chemical recycling technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way plastic can be broken down.
- It also provides a brief and engaging introduction to the burgeoning field of chemical recycling, while reiterating the fact that recycling alone will not be enough to eliminate plastic waste.
- Students will see a recycling plant in Madison and hear from researchers at the University of Wisconsin.
Teaching tips
Positives
- The video shows footage of recycling facilities and provides an abundance of data and statistics.
- Students will get to see innovation in action as researchers talk about their progress with chemical recycling.
Prerequisites
- The concept of urban mining is introduced, but it is not defined in the video.
- Students should be familiar with terms such as polymer, virgin plastic, and solvent.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Chemistry classes can use this video to discuss the kinds of chemical reactions that occur during chemical recycling processes.
- Economics classes can discuss the economic impetus for corporations such as SABIC to develop chemical recycling plants.
- Science classes can collect single use plastic trash and then determine what percentage of the trash can be easily recycled and what percentage is likely to end up in a landfill.
- Similar resources include Plastic Pollution: How Humans Are Turning the World into Plastic, and Is Recycling Still Worth It Anymore in 2021?.
From the scientist review
The resource underscores the use of technology to recycle plastics, although these methods are still undergoing research to boost efficacy and are not sufficient to draw down plastic pollution globally. There may not be a silver bullet yet, but actions can be taken collectively to stem the tide of plastic consumption through a sustainable consumption plan. This resource is recommended for teaching.
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