Plastic bottles, punnets, wrap—lightweight packaging made of PET plastic becomes a problem if it is not recycled. Scientists at Leipzig University have now discovered a highly efficient enzyme that degrades PET in record ...
Biochemistry
May 18, 2022
2
4513
In recent years, there has been rising concern that tiny particles known as microplastics are showing up basically everywhere on Earth, from polar ice to soil, drinking water and food. Formed when plastics break down into ...
Environment
Jan 8, 2024
4
558
Plastic permeates just about every aspect of our lives. And because plastic is everywhere, plastic pollution is also everywhere. Eight million metric tons of plastic waste enter the oceans each year, and it's estimated that ...
Environment
May 14, 2018
1
216
Nurdles. The name sounds inoffensive, cuddly even…. However, nurdles are anything but. "Nurdle" is the colloquial name for "pre-production plastic pellets" (which is in itself rather a mouthful); these are the raw material ...
Environment
Apr 11, 2018
0
143
Bio-based plastics such as polylactic acid (PLA) were invented to help solve the plastic waste crisis, but they often end up making waste management more challenging.
Polymers
Nov 17, 2023
0
77
Recycling in the U.S. is broken. In 1960, Americans generated 2.68 pounds of garbage per day; by 2017, it had grown to an average of 4.51 pounds. And while many Americans dutifully put items into their recycling bins, much ...
Environment
Mar 13, 2020
13
81
Researchers have genetically engineered a marine microorganism to break down plastic in salt water. Specifically, the modified organism can break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a plastic used in everything from water ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 14, 2023
1
258
(PhysOrg.com) -- Stanford University researchers have developed a synthetic wood substitute that may one day save trees, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and shrink landfills.
Materials Science
Mar 17, 2009
2
1
Plastic pollution is a pressing environmental issue, and University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment researchers are leading the charge with an innovative solution.
Polymers
Feb 12, 2024
0
143
Tens of thousands of pieces of plastic littering the planet come from just a handful of multinational corporations, an environmental pressure group said Wednesday.
Environment
Oct 23, 2019
0
164
