Scientists Turn Plastic Waste Into Clean Hydrogen Fuel

Researchers at UCLA and Ewha Womans University developed a low-temperature process that turns mixed plastic waste into hydrogen fuel.

Using alkaline thermal treatment, they converted PET, PE, and PP plastics into hydrogen with more than 90% purity.

Most of the carbon was trapped as solid carbonates rather than being released as carbon dioxide.

The approach could enable cleaner hydrogen production while reducing the need to sort mixed plastics first.