2024-05-05 07:04:40
Scientists have developed a self-degrading plastic that they believe will help reduce pollution, the BBC reported, quoted by BTA.
Polyurethane is used in many things, from phone cases to sneakers, but it’s difficult to recycle and mostly ends up in landfill.
A new scientific solution could help the problem of the degradation of artificial material.
Researchers are developing a type of plastic that can self-destruct. This happens by depositing spores of bacteria that use it as a nutrient medium.
The spores remain inactive during the useful life of the plastic. But they revive and start breaking down the product when the decomposition process starts.
“There is hope that we can reduce plastic pollution in nature,” said researcher Han Sol Kim of the University of California, San Diego.
An additional benefit may be that the spores increase the strength of the plastic.
“Our process makes the materials stronger by extending their useful life,” said researcher John Pokorski. “Once the plastic is no longer usable, we can eliminate it from the environment regardless of disposal method.”
The type of bacteria that is added is bacillus subtilis. It is widely used as a food supplement and probiotic.
The microorganism must be genetically modified to withstand the very high temperatures required to produce the artificial material.
Despite the development of biodegradable alternatives, some scientists believe that the idea cannot solve the problem of pollution. According to them, it is better to reduce the amount of plastic used.
In Canada, the penultimate round of UN negotiations on a future plastics treaty, which aims to reach a global agreement to tackle pollution, has concluded.
Professor Steve Fletcher, from the University of Portsmouth, said the most effective way was to reach an agreement to reduce its production worldwide.
“We have to be careful with such piecemeal solutions that could give the impression that we need to worry less about plastic pollution,” he told the BBC.
The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.