Catalytic Conversion of PVC Waste Into Fuel Oil

Waste plastic treatment technology is becoming an increasingly more important concern in the recovery of valuable fossil fuel resources and especially in terms of environmental protection. This is particularly relevant in the case of halogenated plastics, such as PVC, where the presence of chlorine renders the waste less amenable to recycle than is the case with such polymers as polyethylene or polypropylene. Tens of millions of tons of PVC are manufactured each year in the US and practically none of it is recycled. Catalytic hydrodehalogenation represents an alternative, innovative and promising approach whereby the waste halogenated plastics can be transformed into reusable products. This investigation explores the feasibility of a catalytic degradation of waste PVC with a concomitant targeted chemical transformation of the chlorinated content into recoverable HCl. This will generate a fuel oil free of any chlorinated contaminants, which can be combusted without the problem of releasing toxic chlorine compounds into the environment. The proposal represents a significant advance over the investigators prior successful efforts in fundamental hydrodehalogenation studies. The research will also be a part of a multidisciplinary training program that provides research experiences for undergraduates, undergraduate co-op students, and graduate students and that targets underrepresented groups. A major long-term societal benefit would also be the development of a new remediation technology in which a potentially toxic waste is transformed into commercially viable products with no detrimental effect on the environment.