A plant was recently inaugurated that changes millions of tons of plastic waste matter into a cost-efficient renewable byproduct – oil.  The company that has achieved this feat is Envion Inc. Envion was established in 2002 by Michael S. Han. Using innovative technology, the company has been able to utilize over 80 percent of the plastic waste material used in Washington D.C. to convert it into crude oil. The remaining 20 percent can be reprocessed and utilized to power the Envion Oil Generator (EOG). Read more about Biomass to Biofuels Market Potential

The EOG is the first-of-its-kind “plastic waste matter to oil transition platform.” The process created by Envion takes plastic waste products including bottles, cups and bottle caps, and converts them into synthetic oil. PET, HDPE, polyvinyl chloride, LDPE, PP, PS, GPPS, EPS, HIPS and PA plastics can all be reprocessed in the EOG. According to the company’s website, the EOG “draws out the hydrocarbons implanted in the plastic waste material without the utilization of a catalyst.” The reactor utilizes a heating system that changes over the plastic into oil by “low temperature thermic cracking in a vacuum.”

Once the plastic is cut into small pieces, a conveyor belt carries the pieces into the EOG. The parts are then heated up and within 10 minutes, the plastic confetti-like bits become 99 percent sediment-free oil, similar to crude. The product can then be sold to companies and converted into commercialized fuels including diesel, gas, jet fuel and kerosene.  The color shade of the oil hinges upon the type of plastic that is utilized.

It is expected that just one generator will create more than one million gallons of oil yearly.  The EOGs will be accessible for commercial purchases at some point during the third quarter of 2009.

Costing just cents to make one gallon of oil, the Envion Oil Generator may bring us one step closer to energy independence while bringing down plastic waste matter as well.