Recent advances in polyolefin plastic waste upcycling via mild heterogeneous catalysis route from catalyst development to process design

Plastics, integral to modern life since their inception, pervade our daily existence. However, conventional approaches to managing plastic waste, especially polyolefin plastic waste, pose significant challenges to resources and the environment. Recent years have witnessed remarkable advancements in the realm of polyolefin plastic waste management through traditional heterogeneous catalysis pathways, notably under mild conditions such as hydrocracking, hydrogenolysis, and metathesis. In this comprehensive review, we offer a systematic overview spanning catalyst development to process design and engineering. We intricately compare various reaction routes, elucidate catalysis mechanisms, and rigorously evaluate processes. Additionally, we present insights into future directions for both academic research and industrial advancements in polyolefin plastic waste recycling via heterogeneous routes at mild conditions.