Collaborate Disseminate
The ongoing discovery of microplastics in remote, seemingly pristine corners of the world continues to add important detail to a troubling picture of widespread pollution, and the latest finding takes the threat into new terrain. In freshly fallen snow… Continue reading First microplastics discovered in freshly fallen Antarctic snow
If humanity is ever going to curb our waste problem, we’ll need to get creative with recycling and reusing materials. In a new study, researchers at Rice University and Ford’s Research and Innovation Center have demonstrated how waste plastic from old … Continue reading Waste plastics from old cars “flashed” into graphene to go in new cars
Scientists are continuing to uncover the true extent of our plastic pollution problem, and increasingly we are seeing an emphasis placed on its potential effects on the human body. The latest development in this area comes from scientists in the Nether… Continue reading Plastic particles found in the human bloodstream for the first time
While all non-recyclable plastics aren’t very eco-friendly, expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is particularly problematic, as it’s bulky and frequently used in disposable packaging. It could one day be replaced by a new biodegradable material, however, m… Continue reading Sawdust-based material could be an eco-friendly alternative to EPS foam
Plastics, by and large, are well-understood materials. Not as strong as most metals, but often much lighter, these man-made polymers have found innumerable applications that have revolutionized the way we …read more Continue reading Two-Dimensional Polymer Is A New Ultra-Strong Material
Over the past five years or so we’ve seen some important breakthroughs demonstrating how enzymes can be used to break down common plastics, such as the PET used for everything from drink bottles to shampoo containers. In pursuit of a circular economy f… Continue reading Newly discovered enzyme helps reduce plastic waste to a simple molecule
The more we learn about the magnitude of plastic pollution contaminating the planet’s rivers, oceans, and even its mountaintops, the more pressing the need becomes for wide-ranging and coordinated action. In what is being hailed as a historic day, glob… Continue reading UN endorses historic global resolution to “End Plastic Pollution”
The omnipresent nature of plastic waste threatens the environment in all sorts of ways, particularly as it is broken down into tiny fragments known as microplastics. This includes contaminating soil through sources such as wastewater irrigation and sew… Continue reading Can birch trees be used to soak up microplastics from polluted soil?
Recent research has raised the alarm over the potential health impacts of consuming water from plastic bottles, with scientists concerned over the chemicals that can leach into the liquid with unknown impacts on human health. A new study has investigat… Continue reading Soft plastic bottles leach hundreds of chemicals into drinking water
If you’re designing a plastic for applications such as food packaging, you want it to stay clean but you don’t want it to stick around for centuries once discarded. A new lotus-leaf-inspired material may fit that bill.Continue ReadingCategory: Material… Continue reading Leaf-inspired bioplastic shrugs off liquids and biodegrades in soil