Scientists turn one of the hardest plastics to recycle into high-performance engine lubricant

Researchers have discovered a way to turn notoriously difficult-to-recycle PVC plastic into a key ingredient used in high-performance lubricants such as engine oil. The technique could give mountains of plastic waste a valuable second life while making lubricant production more sustainable. Scientists turn one of the hardest plastics to recycle into high-performance engine lubricant.

In his left hand, he holds toy plastic frogs similar to those that were used in the process. 5 in Nature, the work could offer a way to address two separate environmental problems at once: the difficulty of recycling PVC and the need to produce valuable industrial lubricants more sustainably. PVC is especially challenging to recycle because it contains chlorine and can include many additives depending on how it was manufactured.

Those complications mean large quantities of PVC ultimately end up in landfills. Meanwhile, demand continues to grow for lubricants such as engine oil, which can carry a significant environmental cost to produce. Converting discarded PVC into a useful lubricant component could therefore reduce plastic waste while creating a valuable new product.