You read the headline right, an inventor in Japan has invented a machine that turns #2, 3 and 4 plastic into oil. Before we all collectively lose our shit over this potentially world-changing invention, it still requires a good amount of power to complete this task. Make no mistake, once they really work to develop this and make it more efficient, it could have immediate benefits. Obviously, this isn't the same as replacing our dependence on oil with a renewable energy source, but it's still cool and for the next 50 years, could make a big difference.
From Big Think and authored by my favorite nerd, Maria Popova, an excerpt below, full article here:
To harness this energy while addressing the waste problem, Japanese company Blest has created a machine that converts several types of plastic into oil.
Rather than burning the plastic using flame, which generates CO2, the machine uses a temperature-controlled electric heater to convert plastic into crude gas, which can then be used to power gas-based household appliances like stoves, boilers and generators or, if refined, can even be pumped into a car or motorcycle. Small yet highly efficient, the machine produces nearly one liter of oil – gasoline, diesel or kerosine – from every kilogram of plastic, requiring only 1 kilowatt of electricity for the conversion.
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