Sustainable Plastics

The manufacture, performance and end-of-life (recycling, environmental fate) of polymers (plastics) is an area of intense current interest and importance. Research in this area is often fragmented; this hub brings together expertise in polymer synthesis and recycling, together with wider aspects of plastics manufacture, application and environmental impact. Specific areas of interest and potential projects include Chemistry (catalysis for synthesis of sustainable polymers; catalysis for recycling; catalysis for the sustainable synthesis of polymer intermediates), Engineering (mechanical performance and durability, mechanical aspects of recycling), Biosciences (degradation pathways, environmental impact, including physical and biogeochemical transport and fate of plastics and degradation products), and Social sciences (single-use behaviours, waste management options, Life Cycle Assessments, costs benefit analysis).