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The Effect of Construction and Demolition Waste Plastic Fractions on Wood-Polymer Composite Properties
Published on: June 7, 2020
Plastic Waste Upcycling: A Sustainable Solution for Waste Management, Product Development, and Circular Economy
Rajkamal Balu1,2, Naba Kumar Dutta1, Namita Roy Choudhury1
1Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia.
Abstract:
Plastic waste pollution, including non-biodegradable landfills, leaching of toxic chemicals into soil and waterways, and emission of toxic gases into the atmosphere, is significantly affecting our environment. Conventional plastic waste recycling approaches generally produce lower value materials compared to the original plastic or recover inefficient heat energy. Lately, upcycling or the valorization approach has emerged as a sustainable solution to transform plastic waste into value-added products. In this review, we present an overview of recent advancements in plastic waste upcycling, such as vitrimerization, nanocomposite fabrication, additive manufacturing, catalytic transformation, and industrial biotechnology, envisaged with technical challenges, future developments, and new circular economy opportunities.
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