Aug 2026· ChemSusChem· Vol 19 16, pp.
e70984
· 0 citations· 152 references
Medicine
Abstract
The rapid growth of the polymer industry has driven the widespread application of polyester plastics, especially polyethylene terephthalate (PET). However, the nonbiodegradability of waste PET poses persistent threats to ecosystems. Conventional mechanical recycling struggles to achieve closed-loop material circulation and preserve intrinsic material properties. Therefore, developing efficient, low-energy chemical recycling technologies that depolymerize waste PET into monomers or high-value chemicals has become a critical route toward a circular plastic economy. This review systematically presents various transition metal-catalyzed chemical depolymerization processes for waste PET, with a focused analysis of reaction mechanisms and performance of different catalytic systems in key reactions such as glycolysis, hydrolysis, hydrogenolysis, and methanolysis. Furthermore, the review outlines future research directions for enabling high-value, closed-loop recycling of waste polyesters, including rational catalyst design and process optimization and integration. Overall, this review aims to provide theoretical guidance and technological insights for the sustainable chemical recycling of polyesters.
The rapid expansion of the global textile industry, driven by the fast-fashion paradigm, which is characterized by low-cost, short-lived garments made from inexpensive synthetic fibers, has intensified environmental pressures through increased waste generation, resource depletion, microplastic pollution, and greenhouse...
Fares Al-Ostoot, L. Pollegioni, E. Rosini· Biotechnology and applied bi...· 0 citations
The catalytic upcycling of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a key strategy for both plastic recycling and the high-value conversion of carbon resources. PET has a rigid aromatic backbone, a semi-crystalline morphology, and a complex composition in real waste streams. These properties make its catalytic convers...
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The swift buildup of plastic debris has led to worldwide environmental contamination and resource depletion. Transforming plastic waste into beneficial chemicals and fuels has been considered as an effective approach to reduce plastic waste and encourage a circular economy. This review critically discusses the various...
Chitralekha Sarkar, Solanki Chowdhury, Ratul Paul et al.· Chemical Communications· 0 citations
Only an estimated 9% of all plastic ever manufactured has been recycled, and the remainder persists in landfills, oceans, and, increasingly, in the human body as micro- and nanoplastics. Closing this loop demands chemistry that goes beyond shredding and remelting. This review surveys the mechanistically distinct strate...
Bo-Han Li, Xiao Wang, X. Kong et al.· Sustainable Science and Inno...· 0 citations
Chemical recycling of plastic waste will play a key role in both decoupling the plastics economy from fossil feedstocks and addressing growing global plastic pollution. Real-world plastic waste streams, however, are complex and heterogeneous, which presents a serious challenge to established chemical recycling methods....
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