Improved Biological Catalyst for Oxidation of Alkanes

65532 The recycling of mixed or contaminated plastic could save energy. However, the products of most recycling processes used today are of low quality and represent only a shifting of the problem by one product generation. This project will adapt an existing technology for the recycling of polystyrene waste from food service operations with the recovery of monomers and other valuable raw materials. The technology has been used successfully to treat the wastestreams of electronic scrap, automotive shredder residue, and carbon fiber composites. Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of a large-scale, low-cost, recycling operation to convert used food containers and other contaminated polystyrene waste into styrene monomer for reuse. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The recycling of polystyrene waste should enable the reuse of an estimated 300,000 tons of polystyrene annually. The attendant savings in crude oil imports could reach 500,000 tons per year.