Finding viable alternatives to traditional petroleum-based plastics and microplastics has never been more important. New research from scientists at UC San Diego and Algenesis shows that their plant-based polymers biodegrade — even at the microplastic level — in under seven months.
Nice. It won’t help with existing junk, but it can be the basis for mandates that all plastic produced and sold be able to biodegrade within 9 months.
If it becomes reality is could significantly reduce the amount of new microplastic, and as a side effect reduce fossil fuel consumption from the plastic industry.
The raw material still has to come from somewhere. Plants based plastic could mean land use to grow plants for plastic production, which has it’s own impact.