New Biodegradable Plastic; Home Compostable

News- A team led by researchers at the University of Washington has developed new bioplastics that are made from powdered blue-green cyanobacteria cells, otherwise known as spirulina. The new bioplastics degrade on the same timescale as a banana peel in a backyard bin.

Plastic can persist in the environment for years, over time, it will break down into smaller fragments, called microplastics, that can pose significant environmental and health concerns.

The best-case solution would be to use bio-based plastics that biodegrade instead, but many of those bioplastics are not designed to degrade in backyard composting conditions. They must be processed in commercial composting facilities, which are not accessible in all regions of the country.

The team used heat and pressure to form the spirulina powder into various shapes, the same processing technique used to create conventional plastics. The UW team’s bioplastics have mechanical properties that are comparable to single-use, petroleum-derived plastics.

The team published these findings June 20 in Advanced Functional Materials.

12.07.2023

Ref: www.washington.edu

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