Six Experts Discuss Innovations in Sustainable Products from Plastic Waste

In a recent Thermo Fisher Scientific webinar series titled “Sustainable Products from Plastic Waste”, six leading experts shared cutting-edge insights into challenges and advancements in recycling complex plastic materials. The series highlighted innovative recycling methods, analytical techniques, and material development strategies aimed at promoting a circular economy and sustainable product design.

Key Topics from the Expert Interviews:

1. Pre-Consumer vs. Post-Consumer Plastic Waste

Dr. Madina Shamsuyeva emphasized the importance of distinguishing between pre-industrial (pre-consumer) and post-consumer recyclates.

• Pre-industrial waste: Generated during manufacturing, typically pure and consistent, easier to recycle.
• Post-consumer waste: Derived from used products, heterogeneous and more challenging to process.
  This classification enhances transparency in recycling streams and aids in meeting regulatory targets.

2. Polymer Rheology and the Weissenberg Effect

Dr. Ophélie Ranquet compared the behavior of polymers to spaghetti climbing up a fork—a phenomenon in rheology known as the Weissenberg effect.

• This effect can distort viscosity measurements of polymer melts due to viscoelastic climbing.
• Using oscillatory shear mode in rheometers mitigates this issue by allowing material relaxation and improving measurement accuracy.

3. Challenges in Mechanical Recycling in the Circular Economy

Felix Mehrens and Niklas Rode discussed variability in recycled polymer properties due to degradation and contamination during product life cycles.

• Heterogeneous material properties in recyclates pose significant challenges compared to uniform virgin polymers.
• Additionally, temperature influences Raman spectral data, impacting material composition analysis models, necessitating temperature-controlled calibration.

4. Recycling Marine Plastic Waste

Dr. Annika Völp examined the mechanical recycling of contaminated marine plastics, blending them with virgin low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

• This blending generally preserves or enhances thermal stability, except with heavily degraded polyamide (PA) blends.
• Proper sorting and quality monitoring are critical for producing high-grade recyclates from marine debris.

5. Limitations and Advances in Chemical Recycling

Professor João Maia outlined the constraints of chemical recycling, including:

• Limited processing capacity (~100,000 tons/year plant scale), high setup costs, significant CO₂ emissions, and sensitivity to contamination reducing efficiency.
• To overcome these, hybrid mechanical-chemical recycling combining reactive extrusion techniques aims to improve throughput and polymer quality while managing mixed plastic waste contamination.

Summary of Industry Insights

The series underscores that advanced analytical methods, such as inline rheology and spectroscopy, paired with innovative recycling processes, are pivotal for improving efficiency and product quality in plastic waste treatment. The integration of mechanical and chemical recycling promises a scalable solution to mixed plastic waste, addressing one of the most pressing obstacles in material circularity.

This expert dialogue reinforces the industry’s commitment to sustainable product development through science-driven recycling innovations, critical for meeting environmental targets and fostering a circular plastics economy.

References

Thermo Fisher Scientific – Materials Characterization. (2025, October 2). Six Experts Talk Sustainable Products from Plastic Waste. AZoM. Retrieved October 12, 2025, from https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=24662

For more expert-led discussions on sustainable innovation in materials science, consider exploring the Thermo Fisher Scientific webinars and related analytical tools that support environmental sustainability.

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