Using sunlight to recycle black plastics

Researchers developed a method to recycle black and colored polystyrene plastics using sunlight or white LEDs. The process utilizes carbon black, an additive in many black plastics, to break down these typically hard-to-process materials. Tests showed up to 80% of polystyrene waste converted to styrene monomer using focused sunlight. This technique could enable more efficient recycling of polystyrene, even when contaminated with food residues.