Polystyrene upcycling

Polystyrene, a prominent polymer utilized in plastic tableware and insulating materials, has been extensively employed but poses recycling challenges. In a breakthrough study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie, a group of researchers from the United States has successfully devised a thermochemical method, facilitating the retrieval of valuable chemicals from discarded polystyrene in a straightforward two-step process. This innovative approach holds the potential to revolutionize the recycling of insulating and packaging materials, fostering a genuinely circular plastics economy.