Most plastics used today are never made to be recycled. For example, even the most recycled plastic (PET) is only recycled for 20-30%. The rest is either burned or is disposed of on a landfill.
Luckily, a team of researchers has found an answer. A plastic called poly(diketoenamine) (PDK) can be broken down at the molecular level and then re-assembled from these small components, just like a lego set. According to researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, it is possible to assemble this plastic in different shapes, structures and colours every time without this resulting in a loss of performance or quality. The next step is to develop PDK plastics with a wide range of thermal and mechanical applications such as textiles, 3D printing and foam!