Pyrolysis is a recycling technique converting plastic waste into fuels, monomers, or other valuable materials by thermal and catalytic cracking processes. It allows the treatment of mixed, unwashed plastic wastes. For many years research has been carried out on thermally converting waste plastics into useful hydrocarbons liquids such as crude oil and diesel fuel. Recently the technology has matured to the point where commercial plants are now available. Pyrolysis recycling of mixed waste plastics into generator and transportation fuels is seen as the answer for recovering value from unwashed, mixed plastics and achieving their desired diversion from landfill.

This book provides an overview of the science and technology of pyrolysis of waste plastics. It describes the types of plastics that are suitable for pyrolysis recycling, the mechanism of pyrolytic degradation of various plastics, characterization of the pyrolysis products and details of commercially mature pyrolysis technologies. This book also covers co-pyrolysis technology, including: waste plastic/waste oil, waste plastics/coal, and waste plastics/rubber.

John Scheirs is a polymer research specialist with broad interests in polystyrenes and styrenic copolymers.  He is the principal consultant with ExcelPlas, a polymer consulting company.  John was born in 1965 in Melbourne and studies applied chemistry at the University of Melbourne.  He has worked on projects concerning the fracture, stress cracking, processing, characterization and recycling of styrenic polymers.  John has authored over 50 scientific papers, including 8 encyclopedia chapters, and a number of books on polymer analysis and polymer recycling.

Professor Walter Kaminsky studied chemistry at the University of Hamburg. Since 1979 he has been a full professor for technical and macromolecular chemistry at the University of Hamburg. He supervises a group of 20 students and scientists in the field of metallocene/MAO catalysis and a group in the field of recycling of plastics and scrap tires by pyrolysis. He was President of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh), Hamburg section, Dean of the faculty of chemistry at the University of Hamburg, Director of the Institute for Technical and Macromolecular Chemistry, and is a member of the GDCh, DECHEMA, Naturforscher und Ärzte, Verein deutscher Ingenieure, and American Chemical Society. He has published more than 200 papers/books and holds 20 patents. He has organized several international symposia in the field of olefin polymerization and pyrolysis of polymer wastes. He is advisor for authorities and companies in the fields of metallocene catalysts, polymerization of olefins, and recycling of plastics and environmental protection.