March 17, 2014 – I didn’t know that plastic could be melted and returned to its petroleum state, but it appears that it can. Plants already exist in England for that very purpose. After spending years in a business incubation facility in Akron, Ohio, one such plant is now ready to go online in Ohio next month. Certainly from the standpoint of putting plastic refuse someplace other than landfill, this sounds like a good idea. It seems unlikely we will run out of plastic anytime soon. It’s the diesel fuel that literally comes out at the other end that worries me. While diesel produces no carbon dioxide pollution, particulate matter is another problem entirely. Because diesel particles are extremely fine, they can penetrate deeply into the lungs. The rough surfaces of the particles cause them to catch, and combine with, other toxic inhalants. The primary health concerns which result from exposure to these particles a...
Understanding the global-warming world: causes and ramifications.