Division Plenary: Valorization of Waste Plastics (Invited Talks)

“Nothing is waste; waste is a resource for a new Industry”. Plastic waste and their adverse environmental impacts have become daily front news. Since 1950, we have accumulated more than 7.5 billion tons of plastic wastes in the globe. These wastes quite often end-up in in ocean. According to United Nations, each year we create around 300 million metric ton of plastics wastes that is equivalent to the weight of our entire human population. Similarly, billion tons of agro-residues and forestry wastes are unused or burnt very often-creating environmental pollution. Agro-residues and forest wastes including waste wood and sawdust on reinforcement with waste plastics can create a range of sustainable hybrid biocomposites. Valorization of waste plastics in biocomposites uses is a strategy towards lessening green house gas emissions. Giving new birth to waste plastics supporting circular economy is a strategy towards improved sustainability. The sustainable biocomposites can find applications in consumer products, rigid packaging, and green housing structures as well as lightweight automotive parts.