'Vegan spider silk' provides sustainable alternative to single-use plastics
Researchers have created a plant-based, sustainable, scalable material that could replace single-use plastics in many consumer products.
Researchers have created a plant-based, sustainable, scalable material that could replace single-use plastics in many consumer products.
Materials Science
Jun 10, 2021
6
1690
Biodegradable plastics have been advertised as one solution to the plastic pollution problem bedeviling the world, but today's "compostable" plastic bags, utensils and cup lids don't break down during typical composting and ...
Polymers
Apr 21, 2021
4
1345
Thermosets, which include epoxies, polyurethanes, and rubber used for tires, are found in many products that have to be durable and heat-resistant, such as cars or electrical appliances. One drawback to these materials is ...
Materials Science
Jul 22, 2020
1
574
A research paper published in Science Advances reveals a direct correlation between plastic production and plastic pollution, such that every 1% increase in plastic production is associated with a 1% increase in plastic pollution ...
Environment
Apr 24, 2024
2
51
With plastic pollution posing a significant threat to ecosystems and human health, various strategies to lessen this type of pollution include reducing the production of plastic, decreasing the generation of plastic waste, ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 8, 2024
0
25
Single-use plastics are a major environmental concern, but now, rather than being disposed of as garbage, used plastic bags from the grocery store could be utilized to carry out a reaction that can detoxify hazardous chemicals.
Materials Science
Dec 27, 2023
0
63
Two new enzymes can break down one of the most common single-use plastics, according to the study "Modulating biofilm can potentiate activity of novel plastic-degrading enzymes" by Brunel University London published in the ...
Cell & Microbiology
Oct 16, 2023
0
45
In 2021, more than 400 million metric tons of plastic waste were produced worldwide, and it is predicted that the world's plastic waste growth will continue to outpace the efforts to reduce plastic pollution in the coming ...
Environment
Sep 7, 2023
1
77
Two University of Rhode Island researchers estimate that the top 5 centimeters (2 inches) of the floor of Narragansett Bay now contain more than 1,000 tons of microplastics, and that buildup has occurred in just the last ...
Environment
Aug 28, 2023
0
164
We've managed to accumulate so much plastic trash that it's daunting to think about what could be done with the tons upon tons of nonbiodegradable waste. And as much as we are trying to scale back our dependence on single-use ...
Materials Science
Aug 17, 2023
0
51