Despite the many positive benefits to using plastics and the impact they have had on daily life, they currently seem to have more of a negative reputation, and plastic recycling has become a booming business. This is due largely in part to the mismanagement of plastic waste. While much of the plastic waste is landfilled, a large amount also ends up in the environment. However, even if all plastic waste was collected in the correct manner, there is still no commercially available technology that can sustainably and economically recycle large amounts of mixed plastic waste. Currently, mechanical recycling is the most practiced solution to recycle plastic waste, though this only accounted for a very small portion of plastic waste and is only applicable to some plastics. Mechanical recycling also requires that mixed plastic waste be sorted into its pure plastic constituents. Chemical recycling is an alternative technology to mechanical recycling that could potentially deal with mixed plastic waste without separation, which would help meet circular economy targets and provide recyclers with a potentially valuable product. It has a higher tolerance for contaminants in the mixed plastic waste than mechanical recycling and, if done in the right way, makes it possible to break down polymers into single monomers.
Large renewable energy and biochemical consulting firms will certainly have experts in more common areas like biofuels, biomaterials, biomass, biomass power, biomaterials, bio-based chemicals, biotechnologies, and renewable fuels and chemicals in general. Energy consultants should be willing to discuss client’s initial questions about renewable energy sources, the types of biofuels, biofuel companies, synthetic biology, the fermentation process, biomass renewable energy, biofuel energy, conversion technologies for things like tires and railroad ties, and about the circular economy in general. These clean energy experts would optimally be part of a larger, multidisciplinary group of green energy consultants with a wide variety of expertise in more specialized areas like biomass production, financial due diligence, organic synthesis, fuel additives, ethanol gas, biodiesel fuel including algae biofuels, solid-state and industrial fermentation, green energy grants, ag-biotech, agricultural waste, alcohol fuels, alternative proteins and animal-free products, sustainable foods, beverage fermentation, , biocatalysis, biodiesel conversion, biogas production, biomass power, carbon intensity, co2 utilization, combined heat & power, Fischer-Tropsch technology, food waste, hydrothermal carbonization, industrial enzymes, landfill management, microbial fermentation, organic synthesis, plastic pyrolysis, plastic recycling, plastic waste, pyrolysis oil, reactor design, renewable identification number, the Renewable Fuel Standard (rfs2), solid recovered fuels, torrefaction and torrified biomass, waste to energy, and waste-to-hydrogen. Finally, members and strategic partners of these green energy consulting firms should also have the availability to do things like engineering, technical feasibility studies, and techno-economic analysis, due diligence, and feasibility studies, and provide expert witness testimony, and should have the contacts to assist with renewable energy finance, accounting, plant safety and insurance, legal, and virtually any other services related to the bioeconomy.
Plastic recycling is the process of recovering waste plastics or scraps of plastic and reprocessing them into useful products. Most plastic is not biodegradable, meaning that left untreated, it will be here for millions of years. As of 2018, about 380 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide each year. From the 1950s up to 2018, an estimated 6.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide. Less than one-fourth is being either recycled or incinerated, meaning the remaining three-fourths enter the environment. It is estimated that about 8 million tons of waste plastic enter the Earth’s ocean every year, with studies showing that the bodies of 90% of seabirds contain plastic debris. In fact, some researchers suggest that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by weight. For the health of the planet, plastic recycling should be a top priority, which is why Lee Enterprises Consulting maintains a strong expertise in the area.
With over 150 consultants worldwide, Lee Enterprises Consulting has the diverse experts and geographical reach to assist in virtually any bioeconomy project. Our highly qualified teams bring a unique integration of technical, scientific, regulatory, and hands-on experience to any project. Look at our experts and the services we provide. Most of our experts are also available to advise and serve as expert witnesses in bioeconomy litigation matters. For the larger projects, we specialize in putting together full-service, interdisciplinary teams with one point of contact. See a video about LEC here. Call us at 1+ (501) 833-8511 or email us for more information. See Biomass & Non-Recyclable Plastics to Liquid Fuel.