History Fragments: Recycling Plastic

A US company is taking plastics recycling to another level - turning them back into the oil they were made from, and gas.

All that is needed, claims Global Resource Corporation (GRC), is a finely tuned microwave and - hey presto! - a mix of materials that were made from oil can be reduced back to oil and combustible gas (and a few leftovers).

Giant Microwave Turns Plastic Back To Oil, New Scientist, 26th June 2007