[Courtesy of Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corporation]
When plastics are treated with extreme heat and pressure, they are broken down to be converted into oil. The oil is then processed into medium crude and light oils. Recycled oil is often used as fuel or made into lubricant products. The technique of converting plastics to fuel has been researched to tackle environmental problems caused by plastic waste.
Sudokwon Landfill Site Management Corporation (SLC) said in a statement on June 2 that the company teamed up with City Oil Field, a domestic plastic recycling technology company, to demonstrate the plastic recycling technique by December. The recycling method uses heated ceramic balls to break down plastics and produce medium crude oil. The recycled oil is later processed to become light oil.
"Once feasibility evaluation is completed, we predict that this recycling technique will contribute to the society by solving waste processing problems caused by the increased use of plastics in the pandemic era," SLC researcher Lee Woo-won said. Researchers mainly use vinyl products removed from greenhouses and other industrial sites to test the efficacy of recycling techniques. The company will expand the range of plastic types used in the demonstration.
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