Plastics Recycling and Sustainability

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Course Overview

Plastics are essential to modern life, but their environmental impact is a growing concern. This course dives into the current state of plastic waste, the limitations of existing recycling methods, and the potential of emerging technologies like chemical recycling and pyrolysis. Learners will also explore sustainable sourcing, biodegradable polymers, and real-world examples of upcycling and downcycling efforts.

Learning Outcomes

  • Explain the current global challenges in plastics recycling and why only a small percentage is effectively recycled.
  • Compare mechanical and chemical recycling methods, including pyrolysis, and evaluate their feasibility and limitations.
  • Identify sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, including biodegradable and bio-sourced polymers.

Who Should Attend?

  • Engineers, scientists, and sustainability professionals interested in materials science and environmental impact.
  • Product designers and manufacturing professionals seeking to reduce plastic waste in their processes.
  • Anyone curious about how plastics recycling works and what innovations are shaping its future.

Course Outline

Module 1 - Current State of Plastics Waste and Recycling

Module 2 - Challenges Intrinsic to Recycling

Module 3 - Mechanical Recycling

Module 4 - Chemical Recycling

Module 5 - Pyrolysis

Module 6 - Upcycling vs. Downcycling

Module 7 - Plastics from Sustainable Sources

Module 8 - Biodegradable Plastics

Instructor

Nicole Zacharia

Dr. Zacharia has a background in materials science, with both a bachelor's degree and a PhD in the subject from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her student days were followed by postdoctoral studies at the University of Toronto, time as an assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University, and most recently before joining UW-Madison, time at the University of Akron as an assistant then associate professor of Polymer Engineering.

In addition to teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels, Dr. Zacharia's interests have included research in polyelectrolyte coacervation as well as novel types of surfaces with special wettability, working on various federally and privately funded research projects. She has published over 40 papers in various international materials and chemistry journals. She has been an actively member of the American Chemical Society, including serving on the executive editorial board for one of its journals.

Upcoming dates (1)

Program Director

Nicole Zacharia

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