New process turns plastic waste into hydrogen fuel while trapping the carbon

Researchers from UCLA and Ewha Womans University have developed a chemical process that converts mixed plastic waste into high-purity hydrogen fuel while trapping most of the carbon in solid mineral form. The method handles PET, polyethylene, and polypropylene together without sorting, operates at temperatures 300–400°C below traditional gasification, and produces hydrogen that is over 90% pure. Additional testing is still needed before commercial use.