Professor Alex Yip is leading the study looking at turning medical waste into fuel. Photo: Corey Blackburn
Researchers at the University of Canterbury have been using new technology to turn medical waste, like face masks and PPE, into diesel.
Using a process called catalytic pyrolysis, the researchers hope this will be a step forward in sustainably getting rid of medical waste.
Professor Alex Yip, who leads the study, told Afternoons that in the past few years during the Covid-19 pandemic, there had been a significant surge of global waste.
New Zealand was not immune to the problem.
"In New Zealand our medical waste ... some of [it] we sterilise them and then we basically send them to landfill.
"Some of the medical waste we actually export it to offshore incineration."
So what is catalytic pyrolysis and why is it different?
In simple terms, it is using high temperatures to break down complicated chemicals like plastics or biomass and turning it into smaller molecules that can be used directly as fuel, said Professor Yip.
"Traditionally pyrolsis happens at really high temperatures, sometimes close to 1000 degrees celsius.
"Depeding on what we fit into the reactor, the temperature required can range from 300 to 900 degrees celsius.
"But our technology, using a novel material called catalyst, can speed up the reaction and ... give us the product we want, [and] also bring the operating temperature down to 300 to 500 degrees."
Professor Yip said that made the process more cost effective and efficient.
He said researchers had been working on the catalytic pyrolysis process for about 10 years and were looking for funding.
"If it goes well, we will be able to produce a component very similar to the current diesel fuel that we use in the market now.
"So with the right forumaltion, potentially the new fuel can be applied to equipment that is difficult to electrify, for example, fishing vessels or high duty, heavy engines."
Professor Yip said with funding from industry or the government, the researchers would be able to conduct a pilot programme before actually commercialising it.
