Plastics from Renewable Waste, Not Petroleum

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts have found a commercially viable way to use renewable waste materials to take the place of petroleum in the production of plastic products, according an article in Thursday’s edition of Science. Researchers have found a way to use renewable products such as farm waste or wood chips to make chemicals such as benzene, toluene, xylenes and olefins. The chemicals are used to make plastics and synthetics.