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New Foam-to-Foam Recycling Process Opens Doors to a Circular Economy for Key Plastics August 29, 2023 Researchers discover how to dismantle and rebuild a common form of polyurethane
Building Out the Biobased Economy March 13, 2023 New Life-Cycle Assessment research evaluates greenhouse gas emission and environmental impact of 15 promising biochemicals
‘Forever chemicals’ destroyed by simple new method August 18, 2022 Process beheads PFAS, causing it to fall apart into benign end products
Confronting Our Planet’s Polymer Problem June 03, 2022 Northwestern researchers seek solutions to the plastics pollution dilemma with new ideas on polymer design and upcycling
Upcyling polyester could reduce plastic waste March 24, 2022 Called plastic upcycling, efficient use of the chemistry has implications from bioremediation to medicine
Tire dumps and aging mattresses may soon be relics of the past March 08, 2022 Northwestern University researchers pioneer innovative chemistry-based solutions, transforming complex materials like tires and plastics into recyclable resources, addressing sustainability challenges and unlocking latent energy.
Microplastic pollution lingers in rivers for years before entering oceans January 12, 2022 Water dynamics can trap lightweight microplastics that otherwise might float
$1.6M Awarded to Northwestern-Industry Partnership for Circular Plastics Innovation December 06, 2021 U.S. Department of Energy supports joint research by Northwestern and BASF
Shaping a Sustainable Future for a Common Plastic November 18, 2021 Polyurethane is one of the world’s most widely used plastic materials, but it’s often overlooked in our daily lives. Yet whether you’re at home, at work or in your vehicle, it is usually not far away — with common end-uses ranging from mattresses and furniture cushioning to building insulation, car parts and even the soles of shoes.
Northwestern Team Among First to Visualize Polymers in Actual Material October 11, 2021 Researchers used super-resolution optical microscopy
Dynamic Chemistry Enables Chemical Recycling of Traditionally Non-Recyclable Materials June 24, 2021 When it comes to plastics and polymers, not all materials can be easily recycled and made into new products. Researchers are trying to create new materials with similar properties that can be reprocessed sustainably.
Panelists Discuss Importance of Sustainability in Food Packaging and Plastics May 06, 2021 The Kellogg School of Management, with outreach support from the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern (ISEN), hosted a virtual panel discussion on the sustainable use of plastics in food retail on April 20.
Making Plastics Production More Energy Efficient March 22, 2021 Northwestern engineering researchers have demonstrated a new approach to chemical catalysis that results in high propylene yields using less energy. The findings could support more energy-efficient production processes for many plastics.
Jen Drummond Presents Research on Microplastics' Impact on River Ecosystems February 25, 2021 Jen Drummond (McCormick Ph.D. ’15) presented research findings about the impacts of microplastic pollution in rivers and freshwater ecosystems at a Tuesday webinar hosted by the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern.
Materials Flow Analysis: Supporting a Circular Plastics Economy January 22, 2021 Plastics have become a significant material in many sectors but have contributed to a detrimental amount of environmental degradation.
What's in Your Water? The Health Impacts of Plastic Pollution August 17, 2020 The world is awash in plastics. Globally, we currently produce about 300 million additional tons of plastic waste per year—nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. Most of that plastic—approximately 79 percent—ends up in landfills or the environment.
An Unlikely Ally in the Fight Against Plastic Pollution April 20, 2020 Northwestern researcher takes inspiration from baleen whales
Team of Researchers Awarded $2.5 Million for Sustainable Plastics Innovation February 10, 2020 U.S. Department of Energy supports joint research from Northwestern, Argonne National Laboratory, and industry partners
Understanding Plastics as Carriers for Microbial Communities July 09, 2019 Approximately eight million metric tons of plastic pollution enter the ocean each year. That means that by 2050, the amount of plastic is expected to exceed fish in the ocean by mass.
Plastic Pollution: Re-thinking Degradation and Recycling July 01, 2019 Of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastics generated since 1950, 79 percent of it has ended up in landfills and ecosystems. That adds up to more than 6.5 billion tons of plastics left to persist for hundreds or thousands of years in waterways and on land.
Working to Preemptively Respond to the Problem of Plastic Pollution May 07, 2019 Approximately half of all plastic that is produced is designed to be used only once and then thrown away.
Plastic Waste: You Can't Manage What You Don't Measure May 18, 2018 In 2015, the state of Alabama paid approximately $32 million to bury 711,436 tons of recyclable materials from its residents in landfills.