A Plastic That Fully Decomposes In Soil And Seawater
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Plastic pollution is one of the world's most pressing environmental challenges. A large portion of the 400 million tons of plastic produced annually ends up in landfills or the ocean. Unlike organic waste, plastic never decomposes. Instead, it breaks down into tiny pieces called microplastics. These particles contaminate water, soil, and air, harming marine life, livestock, and even humans.
A team of Japanese scientists hopes to solve the problem with a new plastic that fully degrades in soil or seawater.
Researchers at Japan’s RIKEN institute set out to create this material with two main goals. They wanted it to be strong and versatile, while also breaking down in soil and seawater without leaving any microplastics behind. To achieve this, the scientists developed a special polymer with weaker molecular bonds than traditional plastic. These bonds break more easily, allowing the material to fully biodegrade in natural settings.
Think of it as the difference between a rock and a sugar cube. Regular plastic behaves like a rock. While it may break into smaller pieces, it never truly disappears. This new material, however, dissolves like a sugar cube in water, leaving nothing harmful behind.
In tests, the new plastic began breaking down within hours in seawater. It also fully decomposed in soil within ten days. As it broke down, it even released nutrients that could help plants grow.
The findings were published in the journal Science on November 21, 2024. The team now faces the challenge of increasing production and making the plastic affordable for everyday use. If they succeed, it could replace traditional plastic in everything from 3D printing to medical devices and consumer goods.
Resources: BBC.co.uk, ZMEscience.com, Scienceblog.com
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41 Comments
rjm20166 daysits very sad that fish poluted then dies then another its get poluted then the fish that we eat are making US sick 😭😭 i wish the world was not like this🙅
jesuslovesyou30 daysA lot of people eat fish, this could hurt America’s economy.😢- jesuslovesyou30 daysWe humans can be so selfish
hermionegrantabout 1 month😶 It's just so sad that animals have to die from pollution that humans have caused.
lowtap3rfad3about 1 monthI feel bad for the sea creatures like orca sharks
preppyvibesabout 1 monthI feel really bad for the sea creatures- alucason31about 1 monthdisgusting poor sea animals :(
- alucason31about 1 monthtoo much trash!
freerangekidabout 1 monthWOW that's crazy I have never thought of us eating fish and they could've eating chemicals or plastic or something like that.
kathryn233about 1 monthyeah its kind of scary- freerangekid24 daysYeah I totally agree.
skyzaabout 1 monthWOW! our world needs this sort of plastic!!! 😄
