A solution for ridding the island of plastic waste and saving money

[Or1on]

So from what I heard, we cannot recycle plastics anymore.  Might still get the HI5 redemption but even if we do it just gets thrown away somewhere else.  For awhile they were being stuffed into Matson containers and then shipped to China but that didn't last long.  A friend showed me this video recently and I'm wondering if this method is doable on a grander scale?:
    
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFuTCpCVSbM

I'm imagining a large hurdle would be the question of what to use for the material to burn and keep things affordable and sustainable.  Personally I would use waiwi guava of albesia in my back yard but we don't all have that option.  But what about a large operation?  How about recycled cardboard?  Or that eucalyptus wood planted along Hamakua coast?  Maybe even a geothermal or solar heating?

There would be so many benefits from a system like this.  Ridding the land of plastic trash, the ocean, the overfilled dumps.  Not having to buy fuel if we set ourselves up with the right machinery.  What would be the cons of it?  Why should we NOT consider this an option?  How hard would it be to present this to a government official and propose it as solution to lots of problems on our island?  

Some of you guys seem pretty darn smart and maybe you could clear up some of my questions?

[kalianna]

HI5 is available. There are a few options for recycling plastic on this island. Shipman business services recycles #2 plastic, Atlas recycling on Makaala takes #1 plastics, and keep an eye on Volcano Precious Plastic, who have in the past, and hopefully in the future will recycle #5 plastic. https://www.facebook.com/groups/VocanoPreciousPlastic (you don't have to be a Facebook member to view the page).

As for the eucalyptus, check out https://honuaolabioenergy.com/. For better or worse, it looks like they will be burning trees to create energy.

[terracore]

I didn't watch the video but it appears to be converting plastic back into fuel through pyrolysis.

There have been a couple of technological breakthroughs in the last few years that have yielded much better results.

https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases...nture.html

https://phys.org/news/2021-05-technology...-hour.html

Part of the "problem" is that converting plastic back into a fossil fuel doesn't match the agenda of those groups who wish to stop using fossil fuels.

[Obie]

My decking on my house in Kapoho was made from grocery bags and rice hulls.

[Chas]

Here's a company trying to raise capital to turn plastic into all kinds of stuff:

https://wefunder.com/arqlite

[MarkP]

My question is what is left over in the pressure vessel after you cook out the fuel.

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I assume that it is noxious.

[Rob Tucker]

My decking on my house in Kapoho was made from grocery bags and rice hulls.

The walls of my house are 86% recycled polystyrene.  Engineers told me it should be good, with little or no maintenance, for 200+ years.Got a 6 hour fire rating too.

[Or1on]

"My question is what is left over in the pressure vessel after you cook out the fuel."

I was thinking the same thing. This process of trying to clean up probably creates some pollution too.  But how much?  Might it still be worth it  There's probably a reason this isn't a more popular recycling option.  The video makes it look quite easy but of course there is the set up process that might cost a few bucks.  But if you created enough fuel through the recycled plastic the cost of the set-up would be covered.

"The walls of my house are 86% recycled polystyrene."

So you dodge termites and rot but what about the fact that all plastic does this thing call off-gassing.  You know that new car smell?  It's off-gassing of new plastics.  The newer it is the more it smells and it eventually fades but it still continues to seep out.  I often notice it from plastic crap you can buy at walmart.  (I stopped doing that) Smells awful for awhile.  The gasses aren't so good for humans to breathe.  It's tempting to build out of materials that will be around for our grandchildren though.

[kalakoa]

Every technological solution is met by and equal and opposite downside. This is why we can't have nice things.

[Ccat]

Every technological solution is met by and equal and opposite downside. This is why we can't have nice things.

Oooohhhh....I do love it!  Maybe “society” needs to rethink what “nice” is.

Ccat