Plastic bottles and packaging are a major source of environmental pollution, accumulating in landfills and oceans where they fragment into microplastics. At the same time, rising levels of atmospheric CO₂ continue to drive climate change. Researchers in Denmark have recently developed a material that could help address both problems simultaneously.
Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have developed a method to upcycle PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic into a substance that has the ability to effectively capture carbon dioxide. The new material, called BAETA, can bind CO₂ from industrial emissions and potentially from the air. Their results, published in Science Advances, indicate that plastic waste could serve as a valuable resource for climate mitigation.
From Trash to Treasure
PET plastic is one of the most widely used plastics worldwide, commonly used in beverage bottles, textiles, and numerous other products. It is strong and transparent, but once discarded, it becomes an environmental hazard, fragmenting into microplastics in landfills and oceans.
PET is made up of more than 60 percent carbon by weight. The Copenhagen team developed a process to break down PET and react it with ethylenediamine, a compound that binds CO₂. The result is BAETA, a powder that can be shaped into pellets for use in carbon capture systems.
“The beauty of this method is that we solve a problem without creating a new one,” said lead author Margarita Poderyte. “By turning waste into a raw material that can actively reduce greenhouse gases, we make an environmental issue part of the solution to the climate crisis.”
Increased Efficiency and Durability
Tests show that BAETA works as well as, or even better than, many carbon capture substances currently available. It stands out because it can be made at room temperature, unlike some options that require high heat or complicated processes. This means it uses less energy to produce and is gentler on the environment.
BAETA is especially effective for capturing CO₂ across a wide range of temperatures, from ambient conditions to temperatures around 300°F. This stability allows the material to be used for capturing emissions from high-temperature sources, such as industrial exhaust. Once saturated, the material can be heated up to release the concentrated CO₂, which can then be collected for storage or conversion into fuels and chemicals.
Co-author Jiwoong Lee emphasized the material’s versatility: “One of the impressive things about this material is that it stays effective for a long time. With this kind of tolerance to high temperatures, it can be used at the end of industrial plants where the exhausts are typically hot.”
A New Purpose for Rejected Recycling
Another advantage is that BAETA can be made from low-quality or degraded PET that is often rejected by conventional recycling methods. Mixed, stained, or decomposed plastics, which are usually rejected by recycling centers, can be used to produce this material.
This means that even heavily degraded ocean plastics could be converted into materials for climate technology. According to Poderyte, these plastics are particularly well-suited to the process. If BAETA production can be scaled up, environmental cleanup efforts could also benefit from plastics that were previously difficult to recycle, potentially becoming more valuable as resources for upcycling.
“This will be a collaboration rather than competition with the efforts to recycle plastic,” Poderyte optimistically stated.
Two-for-One Approach
Looking ahead, the Copenhagen group plans to ramp up BAETA manufacturing so it can be used on a larger, industrial scale. They are currently exploring new sources of funding and investment to boost production and bring the material into commercial carbon capture operations. Since BAETA is made from plastics that traditional recycling can’t handle, its production could work alongside and even strengthen current recycling approaches.
While carbon capture alone will not solve climate change, and recycling alone will not resolve the plastics crisis, BAETA shows how new chemistry can address both challenges at once. If successful, it could help reduce plastic waste in ecosystems and cut emissions at their source.
By converting bottles and bags into materials for carbon capture, the Copenhagen researchers demonstrate how pollution from one era could become part of the solution for the next.
Austin Burgess is a writer and researcher with a background in sales, marketing, and data analytics. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, along with a certification in Data Analytics. His work combines analytical training with a focus on emerging science, aerospace, and astronomical research.