Oiling the wheels with waste plastic

According to researchers at Chevron and the University of Kentucky, recycled plastic bottles could be the source of a reliable supply of lubricating oil.

The polyethylene-derived oils could help improve fuel economy and reduce the frequency of oil changes.

Some researchers have tried to use recyclable plastic to produce fuels, but commercial interest has been limited. The Chevron and Kentucky researchers, however, showed that polyethylene can be broken down by heat into a wax that can be converted into a high quality lube oil.

Of the plastic used in their pilot study, about 60% was converted into a wax with the right molecular properties for further processing to make lubricating oil for uses such as motor oil or transmission fluid.

‘This technology potentially could have a significant environmental impact. It could make the difference in communities that want to do something positive about their waste plastic problem, especially if there is a refinery nearby that could do all of the processing steps,’ says the study’s lead author, Stephen Miller at Chevron Energy Technology in Richmond, California.