Sometimes, a problem is obvious, everyone sees it, but nothing happens until someone decides to do something useful about it. Methods are herein provided for recovering heavy hydrocarbons from plastic materials and/or geo-formation. In one solution set, PVC waste materials are emulsified by an amine solvent in an aqueous phase, thereby extracting heavier hydrocarbons from the primary structure of PVC into the amine aqueous phase; followed by de-emulsifying the extracted heavier hydrocarbons by separating and recovering the amine solvent, and then separating the de-emulsified heavier hydrocarbons from the aqueous phase by a hydrophobic membrane.

The method of uniquely identifying a product for subsequent recycling Includes marking a surface of the product with a first trace signature being representative of the manufacturer of the product.

A method for purifying polymers made from depolymerization of plastic can include selecting a polymer for purification, adding the polymer to a reaction vessel with a solvent, heating the mixture to promote migration of contaminants from the polymer to the solvent, performing an extraction technique to remove contaminants, depressurizing the reaction vessel to isolate a purified polymer, and allowing the purified polymer to cool. In some embodiments, the polymer is a polyethylene polymer. In other embodiments, the polymer is a polypropylene polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer is a polystyrene polymer. In some embodiments, the extraction technique is supercritical fluid extraction using supercritical CO.sub.2 as a solvent. Parameters including temperature, pressure, duration, agitation rate, starting solvent volume, and co-solvent addition for supercritical fluid extraction can be selected based on the properties of the polymer to be purified. The method can remove contaminating organic and inorganic compounds from the polymers.

A method for purifying polymers made from depolymerization of plastic can include selecting a polymer for purification, adding the polymer to a reaction vessel with a solvent, heating the mixture to promote migration of contaminants from the polymer to the solvent, performing an extraction technique to remove contaminants, depressurizing the reaction vessel to isolate a purified polymer, and allowing the purified polymer to cool. In some embodiments, the polymer is a polyethylene polymer. In other embodiments, the polymer is a polypropylene polymer. In some embodiments, the polymer is a polystyrene polymer. In some embodiments, the extraction technique is supercritical fluid extraction using supercritical CO.sub.2 as a solvent. Parameters including temperature, pressure, duration, agitation rate, starting solvent volume, and co-solvent addition for supercritical fluid extraction can be selected based on the properties of the polymer to be purified. The method can remove contaminating organic and inorganic compounds from the polymers.

The invention relates to a method for recycling at least one mixed PET plastic article, the method comprising degrading at least PET of the mixed PET plastic article to monomers and/or oligomers using an enzyme and recovering the resulting monomers and/or oligomers. The method of the invention may be used for depolymerizing, simultaneously or sequentially at least two different polymers of the mixed PET plastic article, and/or for recycling at least two mixed PET plastic articles.

The method of uniquely identifying a product for subsequent recycling includes marking a surface of the product with a first trace signature being representative of the manufacturer of the product.

Methods for recycling carbon fibers are disclosed. The methods can include providing at least one object comprising carbon fibers and resin, and contacting the object with at least one light beam to produce recycled carbon fibers. Systems that implement the disclosed methods are also provided.

The invention relates to a method for recycling at least one mixed PET plastic article, the method comprising degrading at least PET of the mixed PET plastic article to monomers and/or oligomers using an enzyme and recovering the resulting monomers and/or oligomers. The method of the invention may be used for depolymerizing, simultaneously or sequentially at least two different polymers of the mixed PET plastic article, and/or for recycling at least two mixed PET plastic articles.

Systems, methods, and devices for providing a recycling technique for fiber-reinforced composite material using electromagnetic radiation. The recycling technique comprising selecting one or more parameters for a microwave system, orienting the fiber-reinforced composite material within a microwave chamber of the microwave system, microwaving the fiber-reinforced composite material using electromagnetic radiation based on the selected one or more parameters to expel a plurality of fibers from the fiber-reinforced composite material, and collecting the expelled plurality of fibers and remaining matrix material from the microwave chamber.

The present invention relates to a process for separating the layers constituting a composite multilayer. The process preferably comprises at least one step of contact, preferably by immersion, between the multilayer and a treatment mixture comprising acidophilic bacteria and optionally at least one fungus belonging to the division Ascomycota. Furthermore, the invention relates to a treatment mixture for separating the layers of a multilayer.