Amazon is taking part in research into chemical recycling and into developing new biodegradable plastics, the online giant announced in March. The online merchant and streaming services specialist is joining the "Bottle" research consortium under the US Department of Energy. Bottle stands for "Bio-Optimized Technologies to keep Thermoplastics out of Landfills and the Environment".
This consortium was created back in October 2020. Other members include the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Argonne National Laboratory. The partnership is slated to last for two years.
Amazon said that it would work with the consortium to develop a new, energy-efficient chemical processing technology that can break a mixed waste stream of plastics containing labile bonds that can be easily deconstructed. The objective is to then use that material in the production of new plastics, of the same or of other types. The Bottle consortium wants to make the entire plastic life cycle carbon neutral and ultimately develop a much more environmentally friendly type of plastic that biodegrades in the natural environment....
