The new technology is based on already used methods of obtaining fuel.
The largest Estonian energy company Eesti Energia in cooperation with Tallinn University of technology began to develop technology for producing liquid fuel from plastic waste that now can not be reused. The company plans to move to the industrial use of this technology in 2023, writes Europulse.
The new technology is based on already used methods of producing fuel from old tires and processing of shale oil. According to preliminary estimates, from a plastic garbage can will get more fuel than shale oil.
Eesti Energia plans to use 80 thousand tons of plastics annually. It will be plastic waste that cannot be recycled or reused (e.g. plastic bags and other kinds of soft plastic packaging). The company does not exclude, that will purchase raw materials in neighbouring countries in addition to local.
The European Union actively fighting against plastic waste. So, last year banned the sale of disposable plastic products, which can be replaced by reusable. At the same time, scientists are looking for new ways for safe disposal of plastic. So, German researchers have discovered a bacterium that “eats” plastic, and the Netherlands came factory on processing of soft plastic, which is still almost not processed. Overall, by 2030 EU plans to recycle more than half of all plastic, including all plastic packaging.