In an effort to tackle to growing problem of plastic pollution, NEC Corp has today made commercially available a bioplastic made with plant ingredients that breaks down in the environment in around four years. Novel plastic disintegrates in a week in sunlight and oxygen. Researchers in China have demonstrated a new form of plastic that degrades in just a week when exposed to sunlight and oxygen, which they believe could make for electronics that are easier to dispose of at the end of their lives.
Tags Materials Plastic Plastic waste Plastics. Nick Lavars. Nick has been writing and editing at New Atlas for over six years, where he has covered everything from distant space probes to self-driving cars to oddball animal science. Popular Stories. Load More. Sign in to post a comment.
Use baking soda or a kitchen stone for tough cleaning jobs. Plastic sponge and scrubber : Use a natural sponge , luffah, or wooden brush. Disposable tableware : Skip disposables and use metal or bamboo plates and cutlery. Plastic cutting boards and utensils : Bamboo cutting board , wooden or bamboo spoons.
Plastic plates and cups for young kids : Bamboo bowls and metal cups. Liquid soap : Bar soap. Disposable feminine products : Menstrual cup or reusable cloth sanitary napkins. Laundry detergent in plastic bottles : Try soap nuts or powdered laundry detergent. Fabric softener or dryer sheets : Use dryer balls. Clothing, bedding, towels : Choose organic cotton , wool, bamboo, or hemp; If you do wash synthetic fabric, wash infrequently in full loads, in cold water on slow spin cycles, and consider purchasing a bag that can capture fibers and keep them out of waste water.
Ready to do more? Celebrate your successes and help spread the word about how important it is to reevaluate our daily habits and what we expect from the companies we buy from. As demand for more sustainable business practices grows, companies will continue to respond and the massive increase in plastics use can reverse course—the sooner the better. Read Guide Shop Products.
In our plastic-filled world, avoiding plastic can be pretty challenging. But finding alternatives to common items like plastic bottles and plastic packaging is becoming increasingly easier—and not a moment too soon for our plastic-choked planet.
Food packaging. Cereals, crackers, snacks, and many teas and coffees come in plastic. Most cheese, meat, and yogurt is packed in plastic , as are many condiments. Milk including soy and nut milk cartons. Metal cans are often lined with plastic. Personal care products. In addition to coming in plastic bottles and tubes, many shampoos, gels, creams, moisturizers, and make up contain synthetic polymers read: plastic.
Some may also contain microbeads. Dental floss and disposable razors are also often made from plastic base materials. Synthetic fabrics. Polyester, nylon, rayon, and acrylic yarns and fabrics are all made from plastic.
When washed, these materials shed millions of microscopic plastic fibers that eventually wind up in waterways. Baby wipes and diapers. From their inner layer to their waterproof outer cover, disposable diapers are made from plastic. Super absorbent polymer makes up the absorbent inner core, while the outer layer is usually a petroleum-based plastic or a plastic-treated fabric.
Feminine hygiene products. The average disposable sanitary napkin contains about two grams of plastic. Wrapping paper is often a mix of plant fibers and laminated plastic. Tape, glitter, and stickers also contain plastic. Chewing gum.
Yes, even gum. Cigarette filters contain cellulose acetate, a form of plastic. Glues , including school glue and wood glue, contain polyvinyl acetate, a type of plastic. These can lead to developmental problems in children after the leaching of chemicals from the plastic into our food or drinks. Meanwhile, eco-friendly plastics use natural ingredients and fewer to no chemicals at all. What this means is that it is less harmful to our environment, animals, and humans.
Eco-friendly plastics can be thinner than those made from regular plastic. Therefore, we need less of it. This means that the materials we use to make it can go further. As they are better for the environment due to the natural ingredients, we can recycle them more easily.
This means that we can turn them into a range of other items after their initial application. We all understand the problems that our animals and marine life face when it comes to plastic waste. Eco-friendly plastic does not pose as much of a risk to animals. However, it does become a risk when we incorrectly dispose of it, and here lies another issue. Unfortunately, there is still going to be waste that finds its way into the environment. Despite this, as it breaks down a lot quicker, there is every chance it will disappear before the risks become apparent.
Traditional plastic takes a long time to break down. Hundreds of years to be precise. Even when it does break down, it causes all kinds of problems. In contrast to this, eco-friendly plastic breaks down quickly and can be composted.
This helps to reduce the amount of waste that we have to manage at landfills and at home. The US is a prime example of diminishing landfill space. As a result, eco-friendly plastic that we can compost and dispose of in a different way can help to save space. As we mass-produce traditional plastic, it is already relatively cheap. While eco-friendly plastic might not be produced quite yet on the same scale, it can help manufacturers to save money.
They will need less packaging and this means that fewer materials are needed. As production costs continue to decline, savings will be passed onto producers and eventually the consumer. It can also save money when it comes to managing waste. Currently, recycling and managing waste cost billions.
The lesser costs of processing eco-friendly plastic is another benefit 2. We already use a vast amount of plastic. With this comes a need for oil and that poses serious problems. Drilling for oil causes environmental issues, it damages habitats and puts wildlife at risk. There is also the risk of oil spills and pollution while there is a carbon footprint to consider.
Biodegradable plastics or eco-plastic reduce the amount of oil we need. Therefore, we can help to ease the pressure we are putting on our planet, we can also prevent disasters and save animals at the same time. Consumer power is a phenomenal thing and when consumers speak, brands listen. So far, the technological challenges have proved too great. The research was published in Nature Sustainability.
Plastics are polymers, meaning that their molecular structure is built up from a large number of similar units bonded together. Currently, most plastics are manufactured using petrochemicals as raw materials, which is damaging to our environment to both extract and dispose of. In contrast, cellulose, which is the main constituent of plant cell walls, is the most abundant natural polymer on earth, constituting an almost inexhaustible source of raw material.
By slightly modifying a very small portion of the chemistry of cellulose by introducing a "cinnamoyl" group, the researchers succeeded in making a specific CCi that is suitable for the formation of a new type of bioplastic with hydroplastic ie soft and mouldable on contact with water polymers. This means that it can be moulded using little more than water at everyday temperature and pressure. This unique method -- known as hydrosetting -- enabled the researchers to produce a variety of shapes simply by immersing the bioplastic in water and leaving it to dry in the air.
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