A Cambridge University team made the device with simple materials using a paint sprayer—offering a possible dual fix for plastic pollution and dirty hydrogen production
Besides H2 evolution, the oxidation products from the photocatalytic reforming process were also analyzed using ion chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The major oxidation products detected after 22 h were formate and acetate (from pretreated cellulose), as well as glycolaldehyde (GAld) dimer and glycolate (from pretreated PET),
from the article (https://www.nature.com/articles/s44286-026-00406-y) linked in the article:
seems very resources intensive, and with specific reagents/chemicals.
incomplete combustion, likely some nasty nitrates in there.
We’ll just dump them in the ocean. Nothing bad has ever happened from just dumping things in the ocean.