An Unexpected New Way To Recycle – Scientists Transform Plastic Waste Into Soap
Researchers have developed a new method to recycle plastics, such as those from milk cartons, food containers, and plastic bags, into soap. The method: Heat…
Plastic News
Table Salt – The Surprising Secret Ingredient Revolutionizing Chemical Recycling
Muhammad Rabnawaz, an associate professor at Michigan State University’s esteemed School of Packaging and a recent member of the National Academy of Inventors, has always…
Bioplastic Backfire: Why Paper Cups Are Just As Toxic as Plastic Cups
Replacing single-use plastic cups with paper ones is problematic. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg show that a paper cup that ends up in nature…
Warning: Paper Drinking Straws May Be Harmful to Health and Worse for the Environment Than Plastic Versions
Long-lasting “forever chemicals,” which can cause damaging health issues, were found in 18 out of 20 brands of paper straws. “Eco-friendly” paper drinking straws contain…
Scientists Transform Flies Into Biodegradable Plastic
Imagine using insects to extract chemicals for creating biodegradable plastics, which later can be decomposed by those very bugs. This idea is not as far-fetched…
Ocean’s Silent Plastic Invasion: Marine Mammals Now Carry Microplastics Within
Research suggests that microplastics, once ingested, move into the fat and internal organs of whales. Microscopic plastic remnants have been detected in the blubber and…
New Polymer Breakthrough Could Revolutionize Recycling
A team of researchers led by Brent Sumerlin, the George B. Butler Professor in the University of Florida Department of Chemistry, has made a breakthrough…
Scientists Use Bacteria To Make Renewable, Infinitely Recyclable Plastics
Scientists have successfully engineered microbes to produce ingredients for recyclable plastics, offering an environmentally friendly substitute to finite and polluting petrochemicals. Plastic waste poses a…
Nano Nightmare: Billions of Nanoplastics Released When Microwaving Baby Food Containers
Exposure to particles from baby food containers kills up to 75% of cultured kidney cells. The fastest way to heat food and drink might also…
Bitter Harvest: The Dirty Little Secret of Strawberry Fields
Researchers have identified an alarming source of plastic pollution in Californian strawberry farms. Plastic mulch, a common tool in promoting strawberry growth, has been found…
Disturbing Findings: Popular “Compostable” Plastic Doesn’t Break Down in the Ocean
The term “biodegradable” can be deceptive when applied to plastic substitutes that require heat to break down or industrial composting conditions. A commonly utilized compostable…
Toxic Hitchhikers: How Microplastics Carry Heavy Metals Across Our Rivers
Surface cracks and biofilms on plastic particles might help spread pollution. A team led by researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University studied how microplastics in the…
Biodegradable but Dangerous: The Hidden Environmental Hazards of Sugar Cane Plastic
Bioplastics derived from cane sugar also pose potential environmental hazards. A study conducted by the University of Gothenburg suggests that the behavior of perch fish…
Solar-Powered Reactor Converts CO2 and Plastic Waste Into Sustainable Fuels
Researchers have demonstrated how carbon dioxide can be captured from industrial processes – or even directly from the air – and transformed into clean, sustainable…
Your Cutting Board Could Be Releasing Millions of Microplastic Particles
Cutting boards are practical tools commonly seen in the majority of households and restaurant kitchens. Yet, according to a study published in ACS’ Environmental Science…
Microbes Discovered in the Alps and Arctic That Can Digest Plastic at Low Temperatures
Biodegradation of plastic at low temperatures can save money and energy. Researchers have discovered microbial strains in the high altitudes of the Alps and in…
Toxic Time Bomb: The Dangers of Discarded Cigarette Butts
The world’s most common form of litter is cigarette filters. Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have discovered that these filters are releasing thousands of…
Turning the Tables: How Bioplastics Could Transform the Climate Crisis
A circular bioeconomy can dramatically rein in the fast-growing plastic sector’s climate, pollution, and resource consumption impacts. Under current policies, global plastic production will likely…
