An inventor in Alabama is using a microwave-based pyrolysis reactor to turn plastic waste into a usable fuel called plastoline. The project aims to create a decentralized waste-to-energy system powered by solar panels to reduce plastic pollution. While a successful test in a Rolls-Royce Dawn showed the fuel can power an engine, the process faces challenges with thermal inefficiency and the production of toxic byproducts. The project highlights the ongoing effort to find scalable ways to recycle synthetic polymers into energy.
