A German research team from the Friedrich Wöhler Research Institute for Sustainable Chemistry in Göttingen has developed a groundbreaking electrocatalytic method for recycling polystyrene waste. This innovative process utilizes an iron catalyst to efficiently degrade polystyrenes, producing a high fraction of monomeric benzoyl products that can be utilized in chemical processes. The key to the success of this method lies in the use of an iron porphyrin complex that acts as a powerful catalyst during the electrocatalytic reaction. This iron-based catalyst provides advantages over other metals due to its nontoxic, cost-effective, and easily obtainable nature. The electrocatalytic process results in the splitting of carbon-carbon bonds in the polymer backbone, ultimately yielding benzoic acid and benzaldehyde as main products. These products have significant applications in various chemical syntheses, contributing to industries such as scents and preservatives production. The team demonstrated the efficiency of this novel electrocatalysis by successfully degrading real-life plastic waste on a gram scale. What sets this method apart is its ability to be fully powered by electricity from readily available solar panels, making it a sustainable solution for polystyrene recycling. Furthermore, the process also produces hydrogen as a byproduct, showcasing the dual benefit of combining plastic waste recycling with green hydrogen production. This new electrocatalytic process has the potential to be scaled to an industrial level, offering a promising pathway towards a circular carbon economy and sustainable practices in the chemical industry.