A groundbreaking discovery at the University of Copenhagen could solve two global crises at once: plastic pollution and climate change. Researchers have developed a method to transform PET plastic, the type found in bottles and textiles, into a material called BAETA, capable of efficiently capturing CO2 from the atmosphere.

By breaking down plastic and combining it with ethylenediamine, BAETA chemically binds CO2 and can release it through heating for storage or reuse. The material is flexible, effective at high temperatures, and can be scaled for industrial plants, where exhausts pass through BAETA units to remove CO2.

Importantly, the technology targets plastics that are difficult to recycle, complementing existing recycling efforts rather than competing with them. The researchers see huge potential for cleaning oceans of decomposed PET, turning environmental waste into a profitable, climate-friendly resource. With the next step focusing on large-scale production and investment, this invention could redefine how we tackle climate and pollution simultaneously.