Plastic bags are probably the most horrible thing ever created. The manufacture of the bags adds to our oil demands, they never break down in landfills, get tangled in plants and choke wildlife and they are difficult to recycle. According to an estimate, about 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year. Even in the US, more than 90% of the used plastic bags are not recycled.
Akinori Ito, a Japanese inventor, has created a household appliance to convert the used plastic into fuel. The machine is non-polluting and is highly efficient in processing polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene. A kilogram of plastic produces almost a liter of oil requiring one kWh of power, which costs about 20 cents.
The appliance uses high temperatures to convert a complex compound into smaller and simpler plastics by a method called pyrolysis. Plastic bags and styrofoam containers are placed inside the machine where they are heated and fed into an oxygen-free oven. Here, the products are heated to 800°F, finally converting into a liquid form. This liquid is then, converted to a gas which is again condensed to form crude oil.
The machine does not produce anything toxic if appropriate materials are used. The oil generated by the machine is a mixture of gasoline, diesel, kerosene and heavy oil. A small amount of char is also produced that can be easily disposed of, just like regular garbage.
The ‘Blest machine’ is made for use in households to make people energy independent. The machine does not only raise awareness of plastic fuel, but it is also capable of revolutionizing the methods of treatment of plastics. Even though the fuel is eventually burnt to produce CO2, yet, the process could eliminate pollution significantly.
The bad news is that the machine is quite expensive. Ito’s Blest Corporation is selling the machine for $10,000, but prices are expected to go down once the machine becomes popular. The price shows that the machine is not quite ‘household’ but imagine the difference which the machine could make even if one of these could be made available in one city. At the least, you will not see this mess:
Watch the machine do its magic:
What are your thoughts on this incredible machine? Comment below!
