Globally, there is rising awareness of the severity of the plastic waste problem, and the implications of plastics accumulation in the environment. Current methods of waste management are anticipated to be insufficient in mitigating the long-term negative impact on society and the environment. Plastics recycling is one of many solutions that have been proposed, one of the most ecologically-friendly, as well as holding great economic potential by its realization into a circular economy. The technological know-how already exists for a number of different methods for plastic recycling; however, they are broadly uneven in their implementation due to feasibility and cost issues. Here, we review and compare methods of tertiary recycling—that is, complete breakdown of plastics into its chemical component materials—and offer an analysis of the potential obstacles that have to be addressed to increase waste plastic recycling rates. While chemical recycling methods are simpler and are already pilot tested at an industrial level, biological recycling either via microorganisms or biological-derived enzymes are as yet unproven but highly promising technologies. Looking forward, trend shifts towards more ecologically-friendly processes will drive initiatives to close the loop on commercial plastic production.

在全球范围内，人们越来越认识到塑料废物问题的严重性以及塑料在环境中的积累所带来的影响。预期目前的废物管理方法不足以减轻对社会和环境的长期负面影响。塑料回收是已提出的许多解决方案之一，是最生态友好的解决方案之一，并且通过实现循环经济而具有巨大的经济潜力。塑料回收的许多不同方法已经具有技术诀窍。然而，由于可行性和成本问题，它们在实施上普遍不平衡。在这里，我们回顾并比较三次回收的方法，即 将塑料完全分解成化学成分材料，并分析增加废塑料回收率必须解决的潜在障碍。虽然化学回收方法更简单，并且已经在工业水平上进行了中试测试，但是通过微生物或生物衍生的酶进行生物回收尚未得到证实，但很有前景。展望未来，趋势将朝着更加生态友好的过程发展，这将推动各种举措来闭合商业塑料生产的循环。通过微生物或生物衍生的酶进行生物循环利用尚未得到证实，但很有前景。展望未来，趋势将朝着更加生态友好的过程发展，这将推动各种举措来闭合商业塑料生产的循环。通过微生物或生物衍生的酶进行生物循环利用尚未得到证实，但很有前景。展望未来，趋势将朝着更加生态友好的过程发展，这将推动各种举措来闭合商业塑料生产的循环。