Methods for the decomposition of contaminated plastic waste

A method for decomposing polyethylene, comprising:

• a. adding polyethylene to a reaction vessel;
• b. adding aqueous nitric acid (HNO3) to the reaction vessel to give a mixture, wherein the wt. ratio of polyethylene to aqueous nitric acid is greater than 1:3;
• and
• c. subjecting the mixture obtained in b. to conditions effective to decompose the polyethylene to produce decomposition products, wherein the conditions comprise a temperature of 120-140° C., and the decomposition products comprise:
• i. succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, pimelic acid, and azelaic acid, and
• ii. at least one of oxalic acid, suberic acid, sebacic acid, undecanedioic acid, dodecanedioic acid, tridecanedioic acid, tetradecanedioic acid, pentadecanedioic acid, 2-octenedioic acid, 2-nonenedioic acid, 2-decenedioic acid, and 2-undecenedioic acid, or the salts or esters thereof;
• or at least one of C8-C20 dicarboxylic acid substituted with a single nitro group, or the salts or esters thereof.