Plastic Pyrolysis Could Serve as Alternative Fuel Source

Mechanical and Biosystems Engineering lecturer at IPB University, Leopold Oscar, has stated that scientifically, plastic waste can be processed into liquid fuel through pyrolysis technology. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition process of material at high temperatures under conditions of minimal or no oxygen. In this process, plastic is broken down into various products including gas, liquid, and solid residue. The liquid product produced has the potential to be developed into fuel, although it still requires further processing stages. He explained that plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene tend to produce hydrocarbon compounds that are more suitable for fuel. Conversely, other types of plastic like polyethylene terephthalate and polyvinyl chloride produce other compounds that are corrosive or potentially cause environmental problems, making them less ideal for fuel potential. Besides the type of plastic, product quality is also determined by various process factors, such as operating temperature, heating, use of catalysts, and raw material pre-treatment stages. Therefore, Dr Leopold explained, pyrolysis oil cannot yet be directly used as commercial diesel. The product must still go through purification, distillation, or cracking processes to meet diesel fuel quality standards. From an environmental perspective, utilising plastic waste into fuel can be an alternative to reduce the accumulation of waste that is difficult to decompose. This approach is also in line with the circular economy concept as it provides added value to previously unutilised waste. However, Dr Leopold stressed that this technology needs to be viewed comprehensively. The main challenges currently are increasing process efficiency, ensuring economic viability, and guaranteeing that operations are safe for the environment. In the future, the utilisation of plastic waste into fuel has significant potential to solve waste management solutions, especially as long as energy needs still depend on fossil resources. However, because plastic pyrolysis products can also be used for non-fuel purposes, their role needs to be continuously evaluated as the use of renewable energy develops in Indonesia.