Covid-19: How disposed PPE kits can be turned into biofuel?

Team Udayavani, Aug 8, 2020, 11:08 AM IST

Researchers have identified a way to turn unprecedented amounts of disposed personal protective equipment (PPE) plastic into biofuels.

Indian researchers from  University of Petroleum and Energy Studies claim that plastic from personal protective equipment (PPE) can and should be transformed into renewable liquid fuels. The paper appears in the journal Biofuels, part of the Taylor & Francis publishing group.

According to CGTN,  Researchers will be using the process of pyrolysis to thermally degrade the polypropylene, a key material used for making PPE into liquid fuel.

Pyrolysis is the most commonly used chemical method whose benefits include the ability to produce high quantities of bio-oil, which is easily biodegradable,

Environmentalists have termed coronavirus medical waste as an emerging threat to marine life. This new technique will not only save the environment from huge damage but will also generate energy which can be used to power gas turbines, boilers, generators and sterling engines.