Researchers Race to Make Bioplastics from Straw and Food Waste
Scientists looking to replace oil as the source of the world’s plastic are harnessing everything from wood-eating bugs to chicory.
New bioplastics are being made in laboratories from straw, wood chips and food waste, with researchers aiming to replace oil as the source of the world’s plastic.
The new approaches include genetically modifying bacteria to eat wood and produce useful chemicals. But the bioplastics are currently significantly more expensive to make than fossil fuel-based plastics.
While some waste plastic is recycled, much of it is incinerated to produce electricity, resulting in carbon emissions that drive climate change. In contrast to plastic made from oil, plastics made from plant-based materials only release the carbon the plants absorbed from the air as they grew. Bioplastics will also give more options for products that biodegrade in the environment, although they can be made very long-lasting if required.
Date: July 5, 2018
Image: Google Images
Coordinator: EnvGuide Team
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/jul/05/researchers-race-to-make-bioplastics-from-straw-and-food-waste