Group of scientists at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU). Lithuania have created biodegradable plastic, which decays in a compost bin in a couple of years. Bioplastic created at KTU is transparent and all the materials in its composition are suitable for contact with food.
Globally, the amount of plastic produced in a year is roughly the same as the entire weight of humanity. Only 9 percent of it is recycled, and the rest is slowly degrading in the landfills. The plastic disintegration process takes from several hundred to a thousand of years; during the time plastic is disintegrating into microplastic particles, which get into the ground waters and from them – into our food and environment.
It is estimated that by 2050 in our oceans there will be more plastic than fish.
War with plastic waste is among the priorities of the current generation. The European Parliament has approved a law banning a wide-range of single-use plastic items, such as straws, cotton buds and cutlery by 2021, and numerous legislations around the world are being passed in order to control plastic waste. Scientists are also taking part in the movement while creating more environmentally friendly solutions.
Read more at Kaunas University of Technology
Image Credit: Kaunas University of Technology