Conversion of Waste Plastics into Value-added Materials: A Global Perspective

The presence and use of plastics have pervaded most sectors of human endeavor over the last few decades, rendering plastics almost inseparable from man. With the increasing dependence on plastics, there is an ever-increasing volume of waste plastic attributable to the postconsumption syndrome of “use and dispose.” Aquatic life, human health, and the environment are all at risk due to the complexity and nonbiodegradability of waste plastics and how they are handled when they are no longer useful. The quest to diminish the continuous proliferation of waste plastics in the environment has necessitated alternative methods to recoup value-added materials from plastic wastes for sustainability to be achieved. This chapter therefore aims to provide an overview of plastic waste management strategies with a special focus on recouping value-added materials from waste plastics. This chapter also explores various techniques such as solvothermal methods and chemical vapor deposition. It also highlights various innovative characterization techniques and merit of the sustainable plastic waste management strategies.