US EditionAs plastic use soars, researchers examine biodegradable solutions
- Researchers examine biodegradable plastics as plastic production and use surge globally, especially in packaging, which dominates single-use plastics today.
- The increase in plastic use stems from decades of inadequate recycling and a rise in single-use plastics exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Most plastics decompose slowly, lasting decades to centuries, fragmenting into persistent microplastics that contaminate environments and food chains worldwide.
- Sun Ferreira noted that although biodegradable plastics offer a valuable long-term option, the greatest reduction in single-use plastics over time is more likely to come from adopting a circular economy approach.
- New innovations like dissolvable adhesives and bio-based materials aim to improve recycling and reduce plastic waste, signaling gradual progress toward sustainability.
16 Articles
16 Articles
How long does plastic take to decompose? The answer is terrifying
Plastic is one of humanity’s most useful inventions... and one of its most persistent problems. Plastic has become so ingrained in modern life that it’s easy to forget how long it lingers once tossed away. The truth is that plastic’s decomposition rate is so slow that most plastic sticks around far longer than we do. Unlike natural materials like wood or paper, plastic is synthetic. Its tightly bonded carbon structure doesn’t break down easily, …
Researchers develop groundbreaking material that could help solve massive issue with common household task: 'We are helping improve the quality'
Researchers in England have developed a new kind of adhesive that could revolutionize the plastics recycling industry. A team of researchers at the University of Reading created an easily dissolvable adhesive that could lead to cleaner and more effective plastic recycling. It's common for adhesives used to attach labels to plastic to leave behind residue when the label is removed, hindering the recyclability of that plastic. Plastic needs to be …
Science Daily
Trash talk: As plastic use soars, researchers examine biodegradable solutions
Researchers document a multi-faceted global snapshot of the environmental aspects and trends surrounding single-use plastics in a review article. The researchers state that the largest area of application for biodegradable plastic materials is the packaging segment, which accounts for about half of single-use plastic production.
As plastic use soars, researchers examine biodegradable solutions
While biodegradable plastics currently account for 0.5% of the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic produced annually, a growing demand for the alternative reflects consumer awareness and corporate response.
How do bioplastics degrade in nature? A participatory experiment called Plastic Generations aims to answer this question and find alternatives to traditional, non-biodegradable plastic. Volunteers who agree to participate by registering on the program's website will receive a kit consisting of a frame made from biodegradable plastic and several strips of biodegradable polyester (PHA). They will then have to (…) Read more In brief / Pollution , P…
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