THE WHAT? Plastic waste could become the oil of the future, according to a report published by the BBC, thanks to a new process discovered by scientists at Cambridge University that converts plastic into syngas and glycolic acid.

THE DETAILS The technology is powered by sunlight and combines plastic and CO2 to produce the key component of sustainable fuels and the popular cosmetics ingredient in a clean process that produces zero waste and runs at room temperature.

THE WHY? It’s hoped that the technology can be commercialized to provide a solution, not only to plastic waste and problematic plastics in particular, but also to replace fossil fuels.