Fayetteville, North Carolina, already dealing with toxic PFAS pollution, may soon be home to a company that claims it can solve the plastic waste crisis. But instead of a real solution, this project is just another False Solution: turning plastic waste into diesel fuel using a process that pollutes the air, emits greenhouse gases, and keeps us hooked on fossil fuels.

The company behind this plan, Waste Energy Corp., has a shaky financial history. Before pivoting to plastic pyrolysis, it tried and failed at businesses like cryptocurrency, NFTs, and even blockchain services for churches. Now, it wants to use pyrolysis—an energy-intensive, high-heat chemical process—to break down 7,000 tons of plastic per year into ultra-low sulfur diesel. But the real question is: Does North Carolina need another polluting plant disguised as a recycling solution?

What is Pyrolysis?

Pyrolysis is a process that uses extreme heat in an oxygen-free environment to break down plastic waste into synthetic fuel. Proponents claim it is a form of advanced recycling, but in reality, it is just another way to burn fossil fuel derivatives under a different name.

Pyrolysis: A False Solution That Pollutes More Than It Helps

Pyrolysis and other so-called Advanced Recycling methods have been marketed as game-changers, but they are nothing more than industry scams designed to extend the life of plastics and fossil fuels. Pyrolysis is just another form of plastic-to-fuel technology that generates hazardous waste, releases toxins, and is incredibly difficult to scale successfully.

• It doesn’t really recycle plastic. Instead of turning plastic into new plastic, pyrolysis creates synthetic fuels that release CO₂ and other pollutants when burned. That’s not recycling—that’s incineration under a different name (read more).
• It’s a high-pollution process. Many plastics contain PFAS, the toxic forever chemicals that can contaminate air, water, and soil. Pyrolysis does not effectively destroy PFAS, meaning they can be released into the environment, harming people and wildlife (read more).
• It’s a financial disaster waiting to happen. Many pyrolysis projects have failed. Houston, Indiana, Salt Lake City, and Phoenix have all seen pyrolysis plants shut down due to economic failure or pollution concerns (read more).

The Community Pushes Back

Originally, Waste Energy Corp. planned to build this plant in a Fayetteville neighborhood where more than 70% of residents are people of color, and 38% are low-income. Public outcry forced the company to reconsider, but instead of canceling the project, they’re just looking for another location in Cumberland County—likely another vulnerable community.

This pattern is all too familiar. Most plastic-to-fuel plants end up in low-income areas, burdening communities with toxic emissions while promising jobs and economic development that rarely materialize (read more). The truth is, these facilities aren’t designed to benefit communities—they exist to prop up the plastics and fossil fuel industries.

Additional Industry Failures

Waste Energy Corp. is not the first company to attempt this. Several plastic-to-fuel projects have collapsed due to economic failure, pollution issues, or both. Other pyrolysis projects, including the much-hyped Houston advanced recycling initiative, have also failed to deliver on their promises (read more).

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory has found that pyrolysis and gasification of plastics into fuel are not only more expensive but also more environmentally harmful than fossil fuels (read more).

Better Solutions Exist

We don’t need False Solutions like pyrolysis; we need Better Solutions that actually tackle plastic pollution at its source. Instead of converting plastic into more pollution, we should focus on:

• Reducing plastic production—especially single-use plastics that clog our landfills and oceans.
• Expanding real recycling programs that turn plastic waste into new products instead of fuel.
• Supporting refill and reuse systems that move us away from a throwaway culture.
• Investing in safer, non-toxic alternatives to plastic that don’t require fossil fuels.

Instead of pouring resources into pyrolysis—a proven failure—we should be fighting for systemic change. Governments and businesses should be investing in true circular economy solutions, not gimmicks designed to keep fossil fuel companies in business.

The Bottom Line

Plastic-to-fuel technology like pyrolysis is a dangerous distraction from real solutions. Waste Energy Corp.’s plan in Fayetteville is nothing more than an attempt to cash in on plastic waste while putting public health at risk. We’ve seen this play out before—failed facilities, broken promises, and communities left with pollution and no benefits.

If we really want to tackle the plastic crisis, we need to reject False Solutions and demand Better Solutions that reduce plastic at the source, protect communities, and support a cleaner future. Fayetteville deserves real answers, not another industry scam.

03/07/2025– This article has been written by the FalseSolutions.Org team