News
Below is a list of recent news related to the BOTTLE™ consortium.
June 2025
Plastics Recycling With Enzymes Takes a Leap Forward
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, June 30, 2025
Inside the Mission to Send Trash-Transforming Bacteria Into Space
Seed Health, June 25, 2025
NREL Publishes Method for Recycling All Components in Carbon Fiber Composites
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, June 24, 2025
Professor Shannon S. Stahl Recipient of the 2025 EFCATS Robert K. Grasselli Award for Catalysis
European Federation of Catalysis Societies, June 2025
Accelerating the Future of Plastic Reduction and Upcycling
Los Alamos National Laboratory, June 11, 2025
Birch Biosciences Enters Into Global Patent License Agreement With NREL To Advance Enzymatic Plastic Recycling Process
Business Wire, June 11, 2025
March 2025
Interview With Professor Yuriy Román
18th International Congress on Catalysis YouTube Channel, March 5, 2025
February 2025
National Academy of Engineering Elects 128 Members and 22 International Members
National Academy of Engineering, Feb. 11, 2025
January 2025
CATL 2025 Award Announcements
ACS Division of Catalysis Science and Technology, Jan. 27, 2025
Strategic Disorder Gives Greener Glue: Microstructure Engineering Turns a Brittle, Biobased Polymer Into a Strong Adhesive
Chemical & Engineering News, Jan. 23, 2025
Tuning Polymer Microstructure Produces Adhesive Stickier Than Super Glue
Chemistry World, Jan. 21, 2025
Polymer Research Shows Potential Replacement for Common Superglues With a Reusable and Biodegradable Alternative
Colorado State University, Jan. 16, 2025
October 2024
Broadbelt to Deliver Prestigious Danckwerts Lecture
Northwestern University, Oct. 2, 2024
September 2024
Transforming Plastics — Innovations for a Sustainable Lifecycle
DC-MUSE Webinar Series, Sept. 27, 2024
August 2024
Turbine Blades Have Piled Up in Landfills. A Solution May Be Coming.
The New York Times, Aug. 30, 2024
NREL Advances Method for Recyclable Wind Turbine Blades: Resin Made From Biomass Enables Chemical Recycling at End of Useful Lifespan
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Aug. 22, 2024
Is This Ancient Process the Future of Plastics Recycling?
On Point, Aug. 16, 2024
Campamento Para Escolares que Desarrollan sus Destrezas Científicas (in Spanish)
UPR Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez, Aug. 2, 2024
Plastics at the Edge of the World
Northwestern Magazine, August 2024
July 2024
Does "Compostable" Plastic Actually Break Down? Here's What to Know
The Washington Post, July 20, 2024
The Future of Plastic Waste
Create the Future Podcast, July 11, 2024
Plastic Recycling Studies Need Reliable Polymer Data. This Database Is Ready To Inform Them
Chemistry World, July 9, 2024
April 2024
Reinventing Recycling: A Feature Documentary
Brightmark, April 30, 2024
Lab Notes: How NREL Is Tackling the Plastics Problem—an Earth Day Special
Transforming Energy: The NREL Podcast, April 22, 2024
From Waste to Worth: Rethinking Plastics with NREL's Insights
Podcast: Science With a Twist, April 22, 2024
The (In)Visible Plastic Pollution Problem
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, April 18, 2024
March 2024
Sustainability Research at a National Laboratory
Nature Chemical Engineering, March 8, 2024
From Instant Grits to Polymers: Scientist Kat Knauer Is Laser Focused on Plastics Pollution
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, March 7, 2024
February 2024
On Its Journey To Make Clothing That Leaves No Trace, The North Face Taps the BOTTLE Consortium To Scale Biodegradable Polyester Alternative
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Feb. 29, 2024
December 2023
Workshop Report: Transitioning to a Sustainable, Circular Economy for Plastics
U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, Dec. 20, 2023
November 2023
NREL-Led Effort Addresses Problem of Plastic in Rivers
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nov. 28, 2023
Plastic Is Here to Stay: Can We Make it More Sustainable?
Slate, Nov. 24, 2023
October 2023
A New Life for Nylon
U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, Oct. 25, 2023
June 2023
Why Plastic-Eating Enzymes Are in Fashion With Lululemon, Patagonia, Stella McCartney and Puma
GreenBiz, June 28, 2023
Jargon Buster: Your Guide to Becoming a Sustainability Pro
Greenscore – A Sustainability Podcast, June 21, 2023
Available Now! BETO 2023 Project Peer Review BOTTLE Presentations
U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, June 2, 2023
April 2023
Chemists Tackle the Tough Challenge of Recycling Mixed Plastics
Colorado State University, April 26, 2023
Chemists Redesign Biological PHAs, 'Dream' Biodegradable Plastics
Colorado State University, April 11, 2023
January 2023
Why Are We Sending Plastic-Eating Bacteria to Space?
Mashable, Jan. 20, 2023
‘Advanced’ Recycling of Plastic Using High Heat and Chemicals Is Costly and Environmentally
Problematic, A New Government Study Finds
Inside Climate News, Jan. 19, 2023
NREL Develops Systematic Framework To Compare Performance of Plastics Recycling Approaches
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Jan. 17, 2023
November 2022
How Chemists Are Tackling the Plastics Problem
MIT Technology Review, Nov. 30, 2022
Enzymes and Bacteria Sent on Mission To Upcycle Plastics
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Nov. 28, 2022
This Company Is Sending Plastic-Eating Enzymes Into Space
Fast Company, Nov. 21, 2022
Episode 43 – Dr. Katrina Knauer, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
PlastChicks Podcast, Nov. 4, 2022
October 2022
Engineered Bacteria Might Help the Dream of Mixed Plastic Recycling
Science Friday, Oct. 21, 2022
Scientists Combine Chemistry, Biology To Recycle Mixed Plastics
Plastics Recycling Update, Oct. 18, 2022
Government Scientists Make Breakthrough in Recycling Plastics That End Up in Landfills
Vice, Oct. 17, 2022
New Process Could Make Plastic Recycling More Profitable
Freethink, Oct. 14, 2022
Chemistry and Biology Unite To Recycle Mixed Plastics
Chemical & Engineering News, Oct. 13, 2022
BOTTLE Project Outlines New Strategy for Valorization of Mixed Plastic Waste
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 13, 2022
New Technology Is Key Step Toward Big Gains in Plastics Recycling
SciTechDaily, Oct. 13, 2022
Bringing Custom Microbes to the Business of Recycling Plastic
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oct. 13, 2022
July 2022
Accelerating the Fight Against Plastic Pollution
Unfolded, July 28, 2022
Recycling Competition Draws Two Plastic Innovations
Plastics Today, July 12, 2022
May 2022
Tackling the Plastic Waste Challenge Through Design
Plastics Unwrapped Podcast, May 10, 2022
March 2022
Amazon Joins NREL-Led BOTTLE Consortium To Help Change the Way We Recycle
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, March 30, 2022
How the DOE Is Finding Energy & Value in Plastics
Waste 360 Nothing Wasted! Podcast, March 28, 2022
Amazon Joins the U.S. Department of Energy and MIT to Tackle Plastic Waste With New
Science
Good News Network, March 27, 2022
New Enzyme Discovery Is Another Leap Towards Dissolving Plastic Waste With 'Amazing
Efficiency'
Good News Network, March 26, 2022
New Enzyme Discovery Is Another Leap Towards Beating Plastic Waste
University of Portsmouth, March 21, 2022
Amazon and U.S. Department of Energy Team Up To Cut Plastic Waste
About Amazon, March 9, 2022
Amazon and Energy Dept. Team Up To Change How We Recycle Plastic
Amazon Science, March 9, 2022
November 2021
Plastics Are Worse Than You Think: The Solutions Are Better
Grist, Nov. 23, 2021
October 2021
Researchers Engineer Microorganisms To Tackle PET Plastic Pollution
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 13, 2021
September 2021
Frontiers in Science: Breaking the Cycle of Plastic Pollution
Los Alamos National Laboratory, Sept. 29, 2021
August 2021
Plastic Isn't the Problem With Dr. Kat Knauer
Trash Magic! Podcast, Aug. 30, 2021
July 2021
Register Today for Aug. 24 Virtual Seminar Presented by Gregg Beckham: Plastics Upcycling
and Redesign in the BOTTLE Consortium
Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern University, Aug. 6, 2021
PET Process Shows Viability of Enzyme-Based Recycling
The Engineer, July 21, 2021
Enzyme Recycling of PET Plastics Can Reduce Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
University of Portsmouth, July 16, 2021
Analysis Shows Enzyme-Based Plastics Recycling Is More Energy Efficient, Better for
Environment
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, July 15, 2021
Portsmouth Becomes the First Non-US Partner of a New Project To Tackle Plastic Pollution
in the USA
University of Portsmouth, July 13, 2021
Could Plastic-Eating Microbes Take a Bite out of the Recycling Problem?
Science, July 1, 2021
April 2021
The Future of Plastics
Science Friday, April 30, 2021
February 2021
How To Solve the Mounting Problem of Plastic Waste? Focus on Its Chemical Roots
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Feb. 3, 2021
January 2021
A Mild Way To Upcycle Plastics Used in Bottles into Fuel and Other High-Value Products
ACS News Service Weekly, Jan. 27, 2021
NREL Reports Sustainability Benchmarks for Plastics Recycling and Redesign
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Jan. 21, 2021
Research Paper on Two-Enzyme System for Plastics Depolymerization #39 in Top 100 Publications for 2020
Altmetric, Jan. 20, 2021
Department of Energy Releases Plastics Innovation Challenge Draft Roadmap and Request
for Information
U.S. Department of Energy, Jan. 19, 2021
Why Scientists Say "Plastivores" Could Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution
WHYY, Jan. 15, 2021
December 2020
Download Coloring Page of "Upcycling Waste Plastic: Ru Ready!"
ColorMePhD, Dec. 22, 2020
Biggest Scientific Breakthroughs of 2020
Business Insider, Dec. 15, 2020
Could Plastic-Eating Bacteria Save the Planet?
Bloomberg, Dec. 14, 2020
November 2020
ORNL Joins Effort to Make Plastic More Recyclable
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Nov. 24, 2020
Los Alamos National Labs Participates in New Initiative To Help Reduce Plastic Pollution
KOB4 TV, Nov. 9, 2020
Los Alamos Works To Make Better, More Recyclable Plastics With New BOTTLE Consortium
Los Alamos Reporter, Nov. 9, 2020
October 2020
SLAC Researchers Join Effort To Make Plastic More Recyclable
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Oct. 28, 2020
Can Plastic-Eating Bacteria Help Cut Down on Pollution?
Marketplace, Oct. 26, 2020
BOTTLE Consortium Launches To Change the Way We Recycle
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 20, 2020
U.S. Department of Energy Announces $27 Million in Plastics Recycling Research and
Development
U.S. Department of Energy, Oct. 15, 2020
Scientists Develop 'Super Enzyme' That Breaks Down Plastic Faster Than Ever
CBC Radio One, As It Happens, Oct. 1, 2020
NREL, UK University Partner To Dive Deeper into How Enzymes Digest Plastic
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Oct. 1, 2020
September 2020
Better Way to Recycle Plastic
Kelly Cutrara with Global News (21-minute mark), Sept. 29, 2020
‘Super-Enzyme’ Speeds Up Breakdown of Plastic, Researchers Say
New York Times, Sept. 29, 2020
August 2020
American Ingenuity Will Solve the Global Plastics Pollution Problem
U.S. Department of Energy, Aug. 11, 2020
July 2020
Report Released! Plastics for a Circular Economy Workshop: Summary Report
U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, July 7, 2020
March 2020
Department of Energy Announces $25 Million for Plastics Recycling R&D, Launches Upcycling
Consortium
U.S. Department of Energy, March 16, 2020
December 2019
Plastics for a Circular Economy Workshop
U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office, Dec. 11, 2019
November 2019
Department of Energy Launches Plastics Innovation Challenge
U.S. Department of Energy, Nov. 21, 2019
