A Study of the Physical Properties of Plastic Derived Fuel Oil Produced from Waste Plastic

Plastic waste around the globe has become a massively detrimental issue that can lead to health complications and environmental destruction. Studies and prior experimentation suggest that thermally decomposing plastic will cause the carbon bonds to break apart and form a fuel oil similar in composition to diesel. Using a low-cost and simple processor called the Trash-to-Tank (3T) processor developed by the University of Kentucky Appropriate Technology and Sustainability (UKATS) Research Team, waste plastic can be converted into fuel, known as Plastic Derived Fuel Oil (PDFO) and sold as a diesel alternative.

The 3T processor has been specifically designed to be appropriate for underdeveloped regions where access to sophisticated literature are often lacking. Currently, the UKATS Research Team is conducting a pilot study in Uganda to assess the performance of the 3T process. In order to ensure that the fuel meet all appropriate regulatory requirements for use as a motor vehicle fuel in Uganda, emissions testing has been commissioned from the Ugandan Bureau of Standards. The laboratory results for the PDFO will be presented and compared with traditional number 2 fuel oil. The 3T process has been implemented in Uganda and has the potential to provide a low cost way for rural communities in developing regions to take ownership of the waste plastic problem in their communities. This process is part of the establishment of locally managed decentralized circular economies in underdeveloped regions and further can give women and other people living in poorer regions the ability to become entrepreneurs.