Irradiation technology helps revolutionize plastics recycling

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced in April that gamma ray and electron beam technologies can be used to transform mixed plastic waste into high-value materials without the use of harmful additives. A radiation-assisted pilot plant has been built in the Philippines to turn recycled plastics into building materials with a 30 percent increase in tensile strength. The technology is expected to reduce plastic waste by 10 per cent globally by 2030 and promote the development of bio-based plastics.