Fueling up with waste: Kenyan company makes petrol from plastic

What if plastic waste could power your car?

In Kenya, one entrepreneur is turning plastic waste into fuel to power cars and all kinds of
engines. The complex chemical structures that make plastic so tough and durable also make
plastics difficult to break down–that’s why they can take hundreds of years to decompose, if at
all. Progreen Innovations Limited in Kenya is one of a growing number of companies that are
converting plastic into liquid fuel.
“We take it through a pyrolysis process and we end up with usable fuel, which is an alternative
fuel for petrol and diesel engines,” says James Muritu, the founder of the company.
Pyrolysis involves heating the plastic at very high temperatures in the absence of oxygen, so
combustion doesn’t occur.
The process results in combustible gases and biochar. Some of the gases are condensed into a
liquid called bio or pyrolysis oil. Other by-products are captured and turned into biochar, which
is used to fuel the furnace, according to Muritu.
The United Nations Environment Programme estimated that only 12% of global plastic waste
is incinerated and 9% is recycled. To solve part of this issue, at least locally, Muritu sources
waste plastic from dumpsites or buys it from resellers.
Muritu uses the liquid fuel to run the plastic shredder, power chainsaws, and even his own car.
“The most carbon-effective way of dealing with plastic waste is not to produce plastic at all. So,
we need to innovate to find alternatives to plastics. But while we have the plastics; the ones
that we have already produced, we need to explore all options. And I think pyrolysis and low-
tech locally produced processes like the one the innovator has come up with, should be
encouraged,” said Nickson Otieno, a local climate change expert and sustainability consultant.
The majority of the toxic gases produced in the reaction are not released into the atmosphere
but redirected back into the process, Otieno explains.
Muritu isn’t selling his fuel yet, as he has yet to secure approval from the Kenya Bureau of
Standards.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Nickson Otieno said that the most carbon-effective way of dealing with plastic waste is not to
produce plastic at all but to innovate alternatives to plastic. What could be the benefits of
prioritizing innovation for alternatives rather than stopping the use of plastic? Can innovation
alone effectively reduce the environmental impact of plastic waste? Why or why not? Discuss.
Should we still continue producing and using plastic materials? Why or why not? In what
industries do you think plastic materials are still necessary (ex. electronics, sports)? Discuss.
Businesses that use waste from dumpsites or resellers as their main resource can bring several
benefits, such as environmental sustainability and cheaper costs. As a consumer, would you be
willing to buy products made from waste materials? Why or why not? What concerns do you
have about buying such products (ex. quality, safety)? Discuss.
Do you believe that products made from waste materials can compete with conventional
products? Why or why not? In what ways are recyclable and conventional products better than
the other? Discuss.