Recycling isn’t enough to slow plastic pollution, WA scientists say
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In a 2021 report funded by the Recycling Development Center, research professor Karl Englund and a civil and environmental engineering team at Washington State University outlined existing chemical and thermal recycling options for plastic — such as heat-intensive solutions like pyrolysis and gasification, or catalyst-based solutions like glycolysis — and assessed their viability to operate in the Pacific Northwest.
“The guys in the plastics world are busting their butt to make this happen,” Englund says. “Do we all need to do more? Yeah. But at least we’re taking steps in the right … » More …
A two‑year, $2.6 million U.S. Department of Energy grant will support a team of researchers in designing and building carbon-negative homes to combat climate change in the growing residential construction sector.
A method to convert a commonly thrown-away plastic to a resin used in 3D-printing could allow for making better use of plastic waste. A team of Washington State University researchers developed a simple and efficient way to convert polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based plastic used in products such as filament, plastic silverware and food packaging to a high-quality resin.
The WSU Extension Forestry team was honored this summer by the Western Extension Director’s Association for their educational efforts preserving the health and safety of Washington’s private forests.
Post-doctoral research associate Yu-Chung Chang and his team won $50,000 to explore chemical recycling on May 10 at Cougar Cage, hoping to reduce plastic waste in landfills and oceans.
Three projects proposed by Washington State University researchers were awarded $50,000 each in this spring’s Cougar Cage event. Yu-Chung Chang, a postdoctoral research associate, and Professor Jinwen Zhang at the Composite Materials and Engineering Center want to do more than recycle polylactic acid plastics with processing that makes them weaker. In a global market that continues to grow each year, Chang aims to offer a more sustainable and economical alternative to traditional recycling methods. He hopes that through chemical upcycling, plastic can … 
WSU researchers and an eco-building startup in Tacoma are teaming up to create affordable and sustainable roofing for consumers across the world.
Vikram Yadama has long been passionate about creating sustainable and renewable building materials for affordable housing, but the civil and environmental engineering professor has always been puzzled about one thing: it seems only rich people can afford them.