Industrial pyrolysis of plastic waste: A techno-economic fix obscuring systemic plastic dependency and colonial waste trade patterns

Indigenous knowledge systems universally treat waste as a misallocation of resources, emphasizing cyclical material flows over linear extraction. The molten salt method, while innovative, operates within a Western industrial paradigm that prioritizes energy conversion over material conservation, ignoring traditional practices like composting, upcycling, or closed-loop systems that have sustained communities for millennia. Indigenous perspectives would demand a shift from treating plastic as a feedstock to reimagining material cultures that minimize waste at the source, such as the Māori *whakapapa* of materials or the African *ubuntu* ethic of shared responsibility for environmental health.

The rise of plastic as a disposable material is a 20th-century phenomenon tied to the expansion of the petrochemical industry, which emerged from colonial resource extraction and post-WWII industrialization. The molten salt conversion method echoes mid-century efforts to repurpose waste into energy, such as the 1970s oil crises, but today’s iteration is framed within a neoliberal economy that externalizes environmental costs. Historically, plastic waste has been exported from wealthy nations to poorer ones under the guise of 'recycling,' a pattern that mirrors colonial waste dumping and perpetuates environmental injustice.

Cross-culturally, the problem of plastic waste is framed not as a technological deficit but as a failure of governance and cultural values. In Japan, *mottainai* (the regret of waste) drives community-led reduction efforts, while in India, the *ragpicker* economy transforms waste into livelihoods without industrial intervention. Pacific Island nations, such as Vanuatu and Palau, have banned single-use plastics entirely, demonstrating that systemic change is possible when political will aligns with ecological ethics. These examples highlight that the 'solution' to plastic pollution lies not in energy conversion but in redefining material relationships and economic priorities.

From a scientific standpoint, the molten salt method represents a novel catalytic approach to depolymerizing polyethylene, leveraging aluminum chloride to break down long hydrocarbon chains into shorter, fuel-like molecules. However, the thermodynamic efficiency of this process remains questionable, as it requires high temperatures (300–500°C) and energy inputs that may exceed the energy content of the resulting fuels. Additionally, the method does not address the release of microplastics or toxic byproducts, nor does it resolve the issue of plastic additives (e.g., phthalates, flame retardants) that persist in the environment. Life-cycle assessments are needed to compare this method against mechanical recycling and waste reduction strategies.

Artistic and spiritual traditions often frame waste as a symptom of disconnection from nature, where materials are treated as sacred rather than disposable. In many indigenous cosmologies, such as the Lakota *Wanagi Wakan* (sacred spirit of waste), discarded materials are seen as carrying the essence of their original form, demanding respectful handling. Contemporary artists like Agnes Denes or the *Plastic Ocean* movement use visual and performative media to expose the spiritual void in consumer culture, while spiritual leaders like Pope Francis’s *Laudato Si’* call for an 'ecological conversion' that rejects the commodification of nature. These perspectives critique the molten salt method as a technological fix that perpetuates the illusion of infinite growth.

Future scenarios for plastic waste management diverge sharply: one path continues the current trajectory of technological extraction, where plastic-to-fuel plants proliferate alongside unchecked plastic production, leading to a 30% increase in global plastic waste by 2040. A second path prioritizes circular economy models, with extended producer responsibility, deposit schemes, and local upcycling hubs reducing plastic waste by 50% by 2035. A third, more radical scenario envisions degrowth in plastic production, with bans on single-use plastics and a shift to biodegradable alternatives, coupled with global treaties to hold polluters accountable. The molten salt method fits only within the first, least sustainable pathway.

Marginalized communities, particularly waste pickers in the Global South, are the most affected by plastic pollution yet least represented in policy discussions. In India, over 1.5 million waste pickers—mostly Dalit and low-caste women—collect and sort 60% of the country’s recyclable waste, yet face exploitation and health risks. Indigenous groups in the Amazon and Arctic regions, who have no historical relationship to plastic, now contend with microplastic contamination in their food and water. The molten salt method, while presented as a universal solution, ignores the labor and knowledge of these communities, instead offering a high-tech fix that reinforces global inequities in waste management.