Volume 11 Issue 3 ( September 2024)

Oil derived from plastic waste pyrolysis has the potential to be a fuel replacement option. Plastic waste pyrolysis has been extensively studied. However, several challenges remain to be solved. These challenges include designing the pyrolysis machine to ensure continuous production, managing impurities that arise, controlling temperature, optimizing catalysts, and other elements that influence the quality of the pyrolysis oil. Banjarnegara Waste Bank (BWB), an environmental activist, has been continuously processing plastic waste into fuel but it has never been characterized. The study aims to examine the properties of pyrolysis oil produced from plastic waste by BWB as a potential alternative fuel. This research experimented with a homemade pyrolysis machine (Fastpol G-5) at 250–325 ℃ for 8 hours, followed by purification, esterification, and filtration. The raw material was mixed plastic waste, mainly polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP). The resulting fuel (diesel equivalent) was tested to assess its characteristics in accordance with diesel oil standards outlined in the Decree of the Director General of Oil and Gas Number 146 of 2020. Additionally, gas chromatography analysis was conducted to examine the composition of the compounds. The results showed that the pyrolysis plastic produced by BWB generally met the quality standards of diesel oil 48, except for density and color parameters. The cetane number and sulfur content were 48.6 and 890% m/m, respectively. The fuel’s chemical composition shows that it contains 54.46% aliphatic compounds, 22.85% aromatics, and 22.69% oxygenates. This substance's complex chemical composition, which consists of aromatic compounds, olefins, and primarily aliphatic hydrocarbons, makes it suitable for use as a fuel in a variety of applications. BWB's production of pyrolysis oil from plastic waste has proven to be a viable alternative fuel.

Keywords: pyrolysis oil, plastic waste, fuel characteristics, pyrolysis, alternative fuel