Scientists upcycle polyesters through new waste-free, scalable process

Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new chemical process which upcycles polyesters, including PET in plastic bottles, to morpholine amide, a versatile and valuable building block for synthesizing a vast range of compounds. The reaction is high yield, waste-free, does not require harmful chemicals, and is easily scalable. The team have successfully broken the, often costly, closed-loop recycling loop of plastic waste, allowing upcycling to more valuable products.