Watch this guy turn plastic back into oil

Through a process called anhydrous pyrolysis, you can convert platic waste of all kinds back into oil, and then further refine it into kerosine, gasoline or diesel. 

Anhydrous, means that it is done without water present.  Pyrolisis is, basically, heating up an organic material, with no oxygen present, until there is a chemical decomposition.  The lack of oxygen ensures that nothing will catch fire.

In this case, the plastic is heated to temperatures over 350 degrees celcius until it melts and changes chemically, eventually turning into gas.  The gas is transported through a tube into cool tap water, where it condenses back into oil.  With the right heating source, this could be very economincally friendly.

In the process highlighted in this video, 1 kg of plastic produces around 1 L of oil.  You will also produce about 80% less CO2 emissions from burning the oil as opposed to burning the raw plastic.

 

 

Here is another video of a guy doing it in his front yard

 

http://www.sciencealert.com/holy-crap-watch-this-guy-turn-plastic-back-into-oil

http://wmich.edu/mfe/mrc/greenmanufacturing/pdf/GMI%20Pyrolysis%20of%20Mixed%20Polymers%20Review.pdf

Image credit: http://www.pachamama.org/blog/turning-plastic-garbage-back-into-oil