Six Experts Discuss Innovations in Sustainable Products from Plastic Waste

In a webinar series by Thermo Fisher Scientific called “Sustainable Products from Plastic Waste”, six experts spoke about new methods and challenges in recycling plastics. They focused on modern plastic complexity and advanced techniques that raise recycling efficiency. Their talk covered waste from before and after consumer use in sectors such as packaging, automotive, and textiles.

Understanding Plastic Waste Types and Recycling Standards

Dr. Madina Shamsuyeva stressed the need to tell apart post-industrial waste (a pure by-product from manufacturing) from post-consumer waste (used products). She linked this clear split with setting realistic recycling goals. Her point tied transparency tightly to recycling protocols.

Polymer Rheology and Measurement Challenges

Dr. Ophélie Ranquet discussed the Weissenberg Effect. In her words, polymers can act like spaghetti that climbs a rotating fork. This behavior makes tools record false measurements because the viscoelastic fluid climbs. She suggested using oscillatory shear modes. This change helps cut down on elastic instability and brings better data. Such reliable data is key for polymer R&D.

Circular Economy Challenges with Recycled Materials

Felix Mehrens and Niklas Rode talked about recycled plastics that lose quality over time. They noted that recyclates vary significantly versus the consistency of virgin polymers. Their study tied temperature to Raman spectroscopy analysis. Their work stressed matching operational heat with model conditions to get accurate material readings.

Recycling Marine Plastic Waste: Issues and Solutions

Dr. Annika Völp turned her talk to marine plastic waste that is often contaminated. She explained that mechanical recycling can work if one mixes dirty marine plastic with clean low-density polyethylene (LDPE). This blend usually keeps or ups thermal stability. Still, if the mix is too degraded, the benefit drops. This fact ties back to the importance of careful sorting and monitoring for good recyclates.

Hybrid Chemical-Mechanical Recycling for Mixed Plastics

Professor João Maia examined chemical recycling. He noted its limits: high costs, small plant sizes (around 100,000 tons/year), and heavy CO2 output. He then introduced hybrid mechanical-chemical recycling by reactive extrusion. This method joins the speed of mechanical recycling with the quality boost of chemical processes. It cleaves and upcycles mixed waste, mainly by beating contamination and variation challenges.

Conclusion

This panel stressed the need for new recycling technologies and strict plastic classification. They showed a path forward through better rheological techniques and hybrid recycling systems. Their talk tied current progress to the truth that research and industry teamwork are essential.

References:
Thermo Fisher Scientific – Materials Characterization. (2025, October 02). Six Experts Talk Sustainable Products from Plastic Waste. AZoM. Retrieved from https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=24662

For anyone who wishes to learn more about sustainable plastic recycling, the full webinar series is online. It provides further details and practical solutions from these leading experts.

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