Plastic Waste Converted into Premium Diesel Fuel
Plastic waste long regarded as worthless can now be processed into high-quality fuel. The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) has introduced Fastpol pyrolysis technology capable of converting residual plastic waste into a liquid fuel called Petasol.
The innovation was launched in Wukirsari Hamlet, Imogiri District, Bantul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, on Tuesday (9/6/2026). It is intended as a solution for managing low-value plastic waste that has been difficult to recycle, while opening up new economic opportunities for local communities.
The Fastpol pyrolysis technology was developed by BRIN together with several partners to process various types of residual plastic waste, from multilayer packaging and mixed plastics to plastic waste with no resale value. Through the process, plastic waste is converted into a liquid fuel that can be used in diesel engines.
Heru Susanto, a researcher at BRIN’s Centre for Sustainable Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Research, explained that the technology works through pyrolysis, or the thermochemical decomposition of plastic material at temperatures of 250–350 degrees Celsius with little or no oxygen. According to Heru, the process essentially returns plastic derived from crude oil back into fuel.
“With this technology, plastic waste that previously had no economic value can be processed into useful products. One kilogram of residual plastic waste can produce around 0.8 to 0.9 litres of Petasol,” Heru said in a statement quoted on Saturday (27/6/2026).
He explained that processing the waste into fuel takes around seven to eight hours. After that, the fuel must still go through clarification and filtration stages before it is ready for use.
Beyond helping to reduce waste mountains, the technology is considered to have economic potential because its production costs are relatively low compared with the value of its use.
“The focus of this activity is handling and reducing low-value plastic waste that has so far been left as residue at waste treatment facilities and waste banks; Petasol fuel is a bonus that draws recyclers and environmental actors to take part because of the economic opportunity, making it sustainable,” he explained.
Nevertheless, Heru believes the success of waste-processing technology depends not only on the machinery. Waste sorting at the household level remains an important factor, as high sorting costs are still the main challenge.
He said collaboration between technology and a sound waste management system is the key to the programme’s success.
“The validated Fastpol Petasol technology meets environmental activists such as the KSM Pilah Berkah group, which provides a comprehensive service — all sorted waste is collected. Supported by a realtime database, this becomes a strength for responsible and sustainable waste management,” Heru said.
In terms of quality, BRIN claims Petasol has combustion performance that even exceeds ordinary diesel standards.
Edi Hilmawan, BRIN’s Director of Technology Transfer and Audit Systems, explained that test results showed Petasol has a cetane number of 51, higher than the diesel standard, which generally sits at around 48.
“The cetane number is an indicator of combustion quality in diesel fuel. Petasol has a cetane number of 51, so its combustion quality is classified as very good,” Edi explained.
Even so, BRIN is still making refinements so that all fuel parameters meet applicable standards, including specific gravity and regulatory aspects.
“In principle, it is safe to use in vehicles,” he added.
Going forward, BRIN is opening up opportunities for wider cooperation with regional governments, communities and the industrial sector to expand the use of the technology.
“BRIN offers many options for innovations or technologies that can be jointly developed with regions through collaboration with communities, regional governments and industry. One of them is the pyrolysis machine to tackle this waste problem,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bantul Regent Abdul Halim Muslih said the innovation could answer two problems at once: waste management and the provision of alternative energy.
“The fuel produced is equivalent to diesel with good quality. This will answer the waste problem we have been facing,” Halim said.
He revealed that Bantul Regency produces around 600 tonnes of waste every day, of which about 30% is plastic waste. With that volume, the potential for converting waste into fuel is considered very significant.
Through collaboration between BRIN, regional government, the business community and residents, Petasol is expected to become a model for integrated waste management that can be replicated across the regions. The innovation also serves as an example of research downstreaming capable of delivering real solutions to environmental problems while supporting the circular economy in Indonesia.