With 1 kg of plastic recovered from the sea, almost 1 kWh of clean energy can be produced, which allows an apartment to be illuminated for the duration of one day. This is one of the results of the study by the Polytechnic University of Marche, Marevivo and Iris srl, creator of the GreenPlasma “pyrolyser”, presented at Ecomondo and related to the “Together for the Mediterranean Sea” project, created thanks to the support of Tezenis. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition process, obtained by applying heat and in the absence of oxidizing agents.
The project had a dual objective: to recover 12,000 kg of plastic waste from the sea with the support of the Garbage Group’s Pelikan boats and, through an experimental activity, to convert part of it into clean electricity with the use of Iris’s GreenPlasma pyrolyser. . The aim was the maximum exploitation of plastic waste according to innovative technologies and standards that can be an example for the correct management of non-differentiable waste,
providing a possible solution in the perspective of a circular economy. With this technology, waste does not burn and does not produce ashes or harmful emissions, allowing waste to be transformed into a precious resource without any further negative impact on the environment and triggering a virtuous circular economy mechanism.
The study analyzed the chemical characterization of waste collected at sea, its ability to concentrate and transport contaminants and the impacts on organisms. The study also analyzed the specific energy yield for the different plastics collected in the sea, introducing a new indicator for the sustainability models of environmental recovery actions.
From the study it emerged that the categories of waste most present are fishing gear with over 72% of the total analyzed, within this category then 51% is represented by fragments of polystyrene that comes from fishing boxes.
It also emerged that all plastics absorb and carry both organic and metallic contaminants and polystyrene was found to be the polymer capable of absorbing the greatest concentration of metals.
The study showed that GreenPlasma technology is very promising: just think that with 150 kg of plastic waste, 130 kWh can be obtained, which is equivalent to about 600 recharges of a scooter (15,000 km) or 3 recharges of a Nissan Leaf ( 819 km). With the GreenPlasma device it is possible to transform any organic compound into gas, separating it from any inorganic matrix. The treatment process is very efficient as a very hydrogen-rich syngas (> 40%) is obtained which can be easily converted into electricity. The entire treatment takes place in the absence of oxygen, without combustion, so the waste does not burn and does not produce ashes or harmful emissions.