Elemental Recycling was established in 2019 with one goal: to create a one-step process for breaking down plastics and tires.
by: Terrel Worrel

Modern-day alchemy is skipping gold and turning old plastic into cold, hard cash.
Elemental Recycling breaks down non-recyclable plastics and worn-down tires and turns them into graphite and hydrogen that are used in EV batteries, fuel cells, and more. What’s more, the entire process is incredibly sustainable, offsetting planet-warming emissions in the process.
What is Elemental Recycling?
Elemental Recycling was established in 2019 with one goal: to create a one-step process for breaking down plastics and tires. The company turns this trash into in-demand materials, diverting waste that would otherwise end up in landfills or the ocean.
The company currently meets nine of the UN’s 17 goals for sustainable development, including those focused on clean energy, responsible production, and climate action.
This is thanks to some innovative chemistry and a new SUV-sized machine that runs on solar and wind energy. The prototype of this machine is already hard at work, converting mixed batches of plastics into useful materials, and the next version is designed to process 50,000 pounds of plastic a day, spitting out 40,000 pounds of graphite and 1.2 million cubic feet of hydrogen gas.
That’s a lot to get from garbage like old tires, contaminated plastics, and other non-recyclables.
ccto: