June 26, 2007

Giant Microwave Turns Plastic Back To Oil

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A US company has developed a machine using 1200 different frequencies in the microwave range to turn waste plastics back into the oil they came from, plus gas. Global Resource Corporation’s Hawk-10 machine, looking like a giant concrete mixer, zaps the hydrocarbons in plastic and rubber until they’re broken down into diesel oil and combustible gas, reports New Scientist. Whatever doesn’t have a hydrocarbon base is left behind, minus any water it contained, which evaporates. For example, a piece of insulated copper is stripped of its insulation, which becomes diesel and gas, leaving the copper to be recycled. . . This seems to be great news on the plastics recycling front, and desperately needed for the health of the world ocean, at the very least. But dubious on the greenhouse front, where the last thing we need is more oil.

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At least we hope they will, because that’s our approach to raising the $350,000 in online donations we need right now—during our high-stakes December fundraising push.

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