Valorization of Plastic Waste to Materials

The persistence of plastic waste in waterbodies and landfills necessitates creative upcycling and management solutions. Regulatory bodies have issued a number of standards to address the health and environmental hazards posed by plastics. These include using renewable resources and the 5Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, reprocess, and recover). Plastic consumption, however, can be somewhat decreased but not entirely eradicated. Reprocessing, recycling, and reuse all have their own limitations. With an emphasis on waste reduction, recycling promotion, and the development of biodegradable substitutes, sustainable plastic management has become essential. The thermochemical transformation of plastic waste into value-added chemicals is a method to alleviate environmental concerns. However, before the technology is implemented in the industry, a thorough analysis and discussion is required. Scaling these solutions to meet more general sustainability objectives is still difficult, though. Repolymerization, for example, lowers plastic’s stability and degrades its quality. This chapter offers a thorough understanding of the thermochemical conversion of plastic waste into value-added goods in accordance with the principles of the circular economy. There is also a discussion of the technological developments, opportunities, and difficulties related to these procedures.