Smart waste sorting leads to more efficient recycling.
But currently it’s more expensive to make polyester or nylon reusable than to manufacture them from scratch. Enter a London-based startup which has been developing bioactive agents for cost-neutral recycling.
An AI searches for new combinations of amino acids and proteins which could split plastics into their chemical components under low temperatures and ambient pressure.
These active agents are tested in the lab and the results integrated into the AI. This iterative approach has resulted in two new recycling processes for polyester and nylon. Work is underway to develop agents for similarly problematic plastics.
Others are employing AI to take a second look at failed medicines or invent lightweight steel replacements.
