A method of plastics recycling by selectively oxidizing 10 different polymers is demonstrated using homogeneous, liquid phase aerobic oxidation in acetic acid with metal/bromide catalysts and in water using vanadium/bromide catalysts. Some examples are the conversion of polystyrene to benzoic acid in 88% yield, polypropylene to acetic acid in 63% yield, polylethylene to a mixture of succinic, glutaric, and adipic acid in 47% yield, poly(butylene)terephthalic acid to terephthalic acid and succinic acid, the latter in 37% yield, and poly(vinyl)chloride to succinic acid in 38% yield. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.