This new test reveals when recycled plastic stops being good for the planet

Georgia Tech researchers built a high-throughput fracture-testing platform to evaluate multiple plastic samples under realistic conditions.

Using stress imaging and photoelasticity, the system can detect early crack growth before catastrophic failure.

In tests comparing virgin PET and recycled PET, the recycled material performed worse under alkaline stress.

The results show recycled plastic is not automatically more durable or greener if it fails sooner in demanding uses.