Flight fuelled by plastic waste

An Irish company that converts plastic waste into liquid fuel has sponsored a flight from London to Sydney to test its product for aviation applications. Cynar makes its fuel by pyrolysis – thermal degradation of the long chain polymers in the absence of oxygen. The plastic is heated to 370–420ºC and the resulting pyrolysis gases are condensed and the liquid separated using fractional distillation.

The single engine plane will be powered exclusively by the fuel – which will not be blended with any kind of conventional fuel – and stop along the way in the Christmas Islands, Sri Lanka, Jordan and Oman.

The team expects to make the flight in October.