•Plastic waste is converted into liquid hydrocarbons by random de-polymerisation. The process is carried out in a specially designed reactor in the absence of oxygen and with Zadgaonkar’s secret catalytic additive.
Zadgaonkar’s story began sometime in 1992, when she started researching polymers. “I have always loved the versatility of plastic, but something had to be done with plastic waste.” According to a 2003 Central Pollution Control Board study, of the over 10,000 metric tons of plastic waste, including industrial and imported plastic waste, generated daily in our country, only 40 per cent is recycled. The rest just lies there, poisoning the environment.