Conversion of plastic waste into fuels: A critical review

Plastic wastes have posed serious threats to the environment, including decrease of soil nutrient effectiveness and agricultural production as well as emerge of ecological instability. Fuel conversion from plastic waste is regarded as a promising strategy for its disposal and energy utilization. Plastic wastes can be converted into target fuels by adjusting cracking of chemical bonds. Currently, numerous technologies regarding fuel conversion from plastic wastes have been reported, including conventional pyrolysis, novel heat treatment and advanced oxidation. However, systematic summary and comparative analysis of different technologies are still scarcely reported. In this review, fuel conversion from plastic wastes was summarized comprehensively, highlighting novel heat treatment and advanced oxidation technologies reported in recent years. Furthermore, the superiority and drawbacks of each technology were analyzed, and future prospects of technology application were proposed. With lower reaction temperature and higher-value fuel, novel heat treatment of plastics is more popular than traditional one. Advanced oxidation can be controlled to convert plastics into fuels under room temperature and pressure, guiding the new normal in energy utilization of plastic wastes. This review aims to provide inspiration for energy utilization of solid waste, addressing the issues of white pollution and energy shortage.