In 2018, 35.7 million tons of plastic waste was generated in the United States, which was 12.2 percent of municipal solid waste . Only 8.7% of plastic was recycled in 2018, resulting in landfills receiving 27 million tons of plastic. Furthermore, plastic is non-biodegradable, remaining for long periods of time in landfills . Approximately 8 million tons of plastic waste enter oceans annually, affecting many coastal environments and harming wildlife . Thus, it is imperative to emphasize the need to reduce plastic waste and develop a technique to facilitate its recycling. This laboratory exercise not only introduces students to a variety of laboratory techniques, but also emphasizes the need to develop a viable method of recycling plastics.