New faster way to degrade compostable plastics using water and heat 

News- At the University of California, Berkeley, scientists have invented a way to make compostable plastics break down more easily, with just heat and water, within a few weeks, solving a problem that has flummoxed the plastics industry and environmentalists

 “People are now prepared to move into biodegradable polymers for single-use plastics, but if it turns out that it creates more problems than it’s worth, then the policy might revert back,” said Ting Xu, UC Berkeley professor of materials science and engineering and of chemistry. However, in this regard, scientists at the university of California believe that we are on the right track and that we can solve the problem of disposable plastics that are not biodegradable

The new technology should theoretically be applicable to other types of polyester plastics, perhaps allowing the creation of compostable plastic containers, which currently are made of polyethylene, a type of polyolefin that does not degrade. On the other hand, Xu thinks that polyolefin plastics are best turned into higher value products, not compost, and is working on ways to transform recycled polyolefin plastics for reuse

You can read more

https://omnexus.specialchem.com/news/industry-news/faster-degrade-compostable-plastics-000224584

Ref: www.european-bioplastics.org

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