Plastic waste could be turned into anti-cancer drugs, researchers say

Scientists say a new chemical recycling method could convert everyday plastic waste into key ingredients used in cancer medicines, potentially reducing reliance on fossil-based materials.
Researchers led by the University of St Andrews have discovered a way to turn household plastic waste into a valuable chemical building block used in the manufacture of anti-cancer drugs and other medicines.

The study, published on Monday in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, focuses on PET plastic, commonly found in bottles and textiles. Using a ruthenium-catalysed chemical process, the team was able to break PET down into ethyl-4-hydroxymethyl benzoate (EHMB), a compound used in pharmaceutical and agricultural products.

The researchers say EHMB is an important intermediate in the synthesis of several compounds, including Imatinib, a widely used cancer treatment, as well as tranexamic acid, which helps blood clot, and the insecticide fenpyroximate.

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