There seems to be no end to the list of waste products that can be converted into useable diesel fuel. The latest material researchers are using to create a renewable fuel source to power
everything from cars to power generators to even water desalination plants is plastic bottles, the kind that usually holds soft drinks and ends up as landfill.
British recycling experts SITA UK has revealed plans to build up to 10 plants across the UK to start converting domestic waste plastics, such as food and drink packaging, into useable diesel fuel. The first plant is scheduled to be opened towards the end of 2011 and will be located near London.
Each of the 10 plants will have the capacity to convert about 13,000 pounds of waste plastic annually, which the company claims will be enough to produce more than four million liters of diesel.
The good news for consumers is that the waste plastic-derived diesel fuel is cheaper to produce than ordinary diesel derived from crude oil dug up out of the ground. It’s also claimed to have a lower carbon footprint than convention diesel, as well as fewer particulates.
Similar projects are starting up all around the globe. Also in the UK, a company by the name of Geneco is developing a methane gas-based fuel derived from human waste and back here in the U.S. a company by the name of Coskata has managed to derive ethanol fuel from garbage. Just a few weeks ago we also saw another American firm, RenTech, supply its synthetic diesel duel to propel an Audi A3 more than 1,000 miles.
Source : www.plastics.com
