The internet erupted with excitement on Sunday October 5, 2025 after American engineer Julian Brown successfully tested his homemade fuel derived from plastic waste on a real car. The vehicle didn’t just start; it ran smoothly, leaving the online world in awe.
Julian, from Atlanta, USA, has been working on this innovation for years. He calls the fuel “Plastoline.” A product created from plastic waste through a microwave-based conversion process. While his earlier experiments drew attention, this latest car test marks a major milestone: proof that plastic-derived diesel can power an actual engine.
In a viral video posted on Sunday, Julian is seen filling up a sedan with his Plastoline fuel, turning the key, and revving it off. The car purred like new. “I’ve always believed waste has potential,” he said during the livestream. “Today, we proved it.”
Independent scientists who earlier analyzed Plastoline confirmed that it emits fewer pollutants and less carbon compared to standard diesel. That revelation has stirred excitement among environmentalists and fuel researchers who see this as a potential breakthrough in managing plastic waste.
Experts explain that the process behind Plastoline is known as pyrolysis, where plastics are heated without oxygen until they break down into oil-like substances. What makes Julian’s method stand out is his use of microwave energy, which speeds up the reaction and reduces the energy cost of conversion.
Dr. Sarah Jenkins, an environmental scientist at the University of Georgia, calls the test “a turning point for waste innovation.” She cautions, however, that scaling such technology must include strict emission controls and safety checks: “We can’t just celebrate clean-looking smoke….. we must prove it’s clean in the long run.”
For countries like Kenya, where plastic waste clogs rivers and litter piles grow daily, a working model of plastic-to-diesel innovation could be revolutionary. Imagine Nairobi’s dumpsites transformed into mini fuel stations, converting mountains of waste into clean energy that powers public transport and industrial engines. Game changer right there!
Julian’s test has reignited hope that the global war on plastic pollution might finally have a fighting chance. Or, as he puts it best: “Yesterday, I didn’t just drive a car …. I drove a new idea.”
