Upcycled plastic can be turned into soap, researchers find

More than 60 million plastic water bottles go into landfills and incinerators every day, according to the Container Recycling Institute.

Researchers at Virginia Tech have found a way to upcycle plastic into soap. Around 120 grams to 130 grams of plastic can make 100 grams of soap.

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It's great that they're looking into breaking down plastic, but wouldn't turning it into soap only accelerate our rising microplastic situation?
- No, because it's not plastic anymore.
  
  Now it's soap!
  
  So alchemy, then.
We’re from the law offices of Rick and Morty, if you or a loved one used microplastic soap and developed Slorptheleoman cancer, call us!
I want to know the energy used to create soap from this as opposed to our current method. Also it sounds like the broken down plastic might be utilized for other organic compounds. It would be great if they could break it down to a small chain of just two carbons, six hydrogens, and an oxygen.
- They probably could but you wouldn't want to drink it though!
  
  don't tell me what I won't drink :)

10 comments