Plastics have become a major packaging material in our society and in the US military. Disposal of the plastic wastes is a significant problem, and does not recover energy that is contained in the plastics. General Atomics has for many years explored ways to recover energy from plastic wastes in a realistic and environmentally responsible manner. Current efforts in this area include a system for conversion of paper and plastic to a fuel gas that can be used to generate electrical power (MISER) and a system that dissolves specific types of plastic waste in biodiesel fuel to allow burning of the plastic in an internal combustion engine (Battlefield Plastic Waste to Energy).
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