THIS year the world's power stations, farms, cars and the like will generate the equivalent of nearly 37 billion tonnes
of waste carbon dioxide.
Researchers at the Energy Safety Research Institute (ESRI) at Swansea University have found a way of converting
waste carbon dioxide into a molecule that forms the basis of making plastics.
There are similarities between the mind - set of those who dump rubbish wherever it is convenient for them to do so and the mind - set of those who
dump waste carbon dioxide into the atmosphere causing climate change — and those in government who encourage it.
The idea is to accelerate the development of breakthrough technologies that can
take waste carbon dioxide streams from industrial facilities, and turn them into valuable and useful items, from t - shirts to toothpaste.
Once the technology is optimized and ready to be implemented in commercial applications, North estimates it could use up to 18 million tonnes
of waste carbon dioxide every year, including a further 30 million if it's used to make antiknock agents.
All fossil fuel fired power stations in Australia have what amounts to an unlimited license to dump
their waste carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The Queensland Government - owned Stanwell Corporation and Shell are working on a study into the feasibility of «Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle» with sequestration of
the waste carbon dioxide.