Say Hello To Biodegradable Microplastics? (ucsd.edu) 60
Long-time Slashdot reader HanzoSpam shared an announcement from the University of California San Diego.
The school's researchers teamed with materials-science company Algenesis to show "that their plant-based polymers biodegrade — even at the microplastic level — in under seven months." "We're trying to find replacements for materials that already exist, and make sure these replacements will biodegrade at the end of their useful life instead of collecting in the environment," stated Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Burkart, one of the paper's authors and an Algenesis co-founder. "That's not easy."
"When we first created these algae-based polymers about six years ago, our intention was always that it be completely biodegradable," said another of the paper's authors, Robert Pomeroy, who is also a professor of chemistry and biochemistry and an Algenesis co-founder. "We had plenty of data to suggest that our material was disappearing in the compost, but this is the first time we've measured it at the microparticle level...."
"This material is the first plastic demonstrated to not create microplastics as we use it," said Stephen Mayfield, a paper coauthor, School of Biological Sciences professor and co-founder of Algenesis. "This is more than just a sustainable solution for the end-of-product life cycle and our crowded landfills. This is actually plastic that is not going to make us sick."
Creating an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics is only one part of the long road to viability. The ongoing challenge is to be able to use the new material on pre-existing manufacturing equipment that was originally built for traditional plastic, and here Algenesis is making progress. They have partnered with several companies to make products that use the plant-based polymers developed at UC San Diego, including Trelleborg for use in coated fabrics and RhinoShield for use in the production of cell phone cases.
"When we started this work, we were told it was impossible," stated Burkart. "Now we see a different reality. There's a lot of work to be done, but we want to give people hope. It is possible."
The school's researchers teamed with materials-science company Algenesis to show "that their plant-based polymers biodegrade — even at the microplastic level — in under seven months." "We're trying to find replacements for materials that already exist, and make sure these replacements will biodegrade at the end of their useful life instead of collecting in the environment," stated Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Michael Burkart, one of the paper's authors and an Algenesis co-founder. "That's not easy."
"When we first created these algae-based polymers about six years ago, our intention was always that it be completely biodegradable," said another of the paper's authors, Robert Pomeroy, who is also a professor of chemistry and biochemistry and an Algenesis co-founder. "We had plenty of data to suggest that our material was disappearing in the compost, but this is the first time we've measured it at the microparticle level...."
"This material is the first plastic demonstrated to not create microplastics as we use it," said Stephen Mayfield, a paper coauthor, School of Biological Sciences professor and co-founder of Algenesis. "This is more than just a sustainable solution for the end-of-product life cycle and our crowded landfills. This is actually plastic that is not going to make us sick."
Creating an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based plastics is only one part of the long road to viability. The ongoing challenge is to be able to use the new material on pre-existing manufacturing equipment that was originally built for traditional plastic, and here Algenesis is making progress. They have partnered with several companies to make products that use the plant-based polymers developed at UC San Diego, including Trelleborg for use in coated fabrics and RhinoShield for use in the production of cell phone cases.
"When we started this work, we were told it was impossible," stated Burkart. "Now we see a different reality. There's a lot of work to be done, but we want to give people hope. It is possible."
Stuff like this is useless (Score:2)
The only way you solve the problem with microplastics and plastic in general it's with legislation that the plastic industry is going to fight you to the nail against.
Even with leaded gas we had to ban it. And it took an extra couple of decades to phase it out completely even when we knew the dangers. Money talks.
Re:Stuff like this is useless (Score:5, Insightful)
Unless it's somehow magically cheaper than existing plastics. Which it never is. The only way you solve the problem with microplastics and plastic in general it's with legislation that the plastic industry is going to fight you to the nail against. Even with leaded gas we had to ban it. And it took an extra couple of decades to phase it out completely even when we knew the dangers. Money talks.
And yet...
You've already pointed out the flaw in your assertion. To reinforce it, we've had a constant evolution of refrigerants for air conditioners since we banned using Freon. Sure, these are more expensive - at least at first - but having seatbelts is more expensive than not having seatbelts, and not having motorcycle helmets is cheaper than having them. But it turns out that if you have to regulate an industry into not poisoning children with lead-laced paint on baby toys, manufacturers find ways to make the replacements more efficiently, driving down the price.
As in... stuff like this is useful because while it may not be the final product, it's progress in the right direction.
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To reinforce it, we've had a constant evolution of refrigerants for air conditioners since we banned using Freon. Sure, these are more expensive - at least at first
New refrigerants are more expensive largely due to the fact that DuPont gets a shiny new patent. Granted, chlorinated refrigerants chewing up the ozone hole was a demonstrably bad thing which needed to be urgently resolved. The latest round of phase-outs, however, are ostensibly motivated by concern over the global warming potential (expressed as a value in multiples of CO2 equivalence [ca.gov]) of current refrigerants.
Coming up with new gasses that can economically, efficiently, safely, and reliably operate in me
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> While common hydrocarbon gases such as propane and butane
>actually make great refrigerants,
In fact, butane can be used as pretty much a direct replacement for R12.
But most people, it seems, don't want that much of it under the hood (while driving around with several gallons of gasoline!)
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Says the guy who always goes out in public fully clad in bright pink and purple glitter in order to draw attention to himself. Why not try being part of the solution instead of the problem for once?
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While I don't completely agree with it being "useless", I think he hit the nail on the head, and the largest problem with our "democracy".
Industries control our government, and the laws created by it, more than the actual people. It's not necessarily insurmountable, but it is the largest problem we have with fighting issues that tax all of us, through our health, and our very survival. "Profit over People" is the only way large corporations/industries operate.
This is why regulation i.e. bans, or p
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The only way you solve the problem with microplastics and plastic in general it's with legislation that the plastic industry is going to fight you to the nail against.
Of course, who ever claimed it would be easy? There will be push back but the key is to play to legislators' biases and use side-channel tactics. For example, most plastics are actually imported from China and thusly wouldn't be terribly difficult convince Republican legislators to place an import tax upon it, leaving US plastics manufacturers unscathed. The application of ESG in loans could limit US plastic production expansion. Meanwhile, states could levy taxes on certain types of plastic products. When
Re: Stuff like this is useless (Score:2)
You can't legally place a tariff based solely on the country of origin. You have to base it on some type of activity. For example slavery, whoops we still have that here.
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1) I'm not suggesting a tariff, I'm suggesting an import tax. The distinction is important.
2) Who said anything about country of origin? China simply happens to be the primary location it's imported from.
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The lie they don't tell you is that all plastics are biodegradable. Not only do they break down in sunlight fairly rapidly, plastics are also readily consumed by numerous organisms - albeit slowly.
Alternatively, we should be using waste plastic as a readily available source of fuel to be burned in coal plants, or other power generator facilities.
Impossible (Score:2)
"When we started this work, we were told it was impossible," stated Burkart. "Now we see a different reality. There's a lot of work to be done, but we want to give people hope. It is possible."
Yeah, it's usually that last 10% that's the "impossible" part.
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"When we started this work, we were told it was impossible," stated Burkart. "Now we see a different reality. There's a lot of work to be done, but we want to give people hope. It is possible."
Yeah, it's usually that last 10% that's the "impossible" part.
I wonder exactly who told them it was impossible? Plastics has been around for quite a while, and many are biodegradable by nature - they were phaesd out because they didn't last permanently. Casein plastic made from milk and acetic acid is just one example, and kids do it all the time as a fun science project. The commercial versions of milk plastic get a formaldehyde washing to make them harder.
Biodegradable plastic bags have been around for several years, and corn is extruded into packing peanuts in th
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I suspect that creating a bug that eats certain types of long-lived plastic is not impossible, either.
So ... no long-term storage? (Score:2)
And if people want the containers to last / store things longer than that?
Re:So ... no long-term storage? (Score:4)
Then a different material could be used?
This could be great for stuff like the lining in milk cartons, bags for ready-made food that's kept frozen (I assume that would essentially halt the degradation as well), and all other kinds of use-and-toss plastic.
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They have some weird partnerships, though:
"including Trelleborg for use in coated fabrics and RhinoShield for use in the production of cell phone cases"
Re:So ... no long-term storage? (Score:5, Insightful)
I've got a couple of cardboard boxes in my garage that are over 50 years old, and they're still storing things just fine.
However, if I threw one under some mulch in the back yard, it would probably biodegrade within a few months.
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Or even this stuff, with a thin non-degradable film of some sort on the inside. (There are lots of "sorts". You just need to choose the right kind to suit your purpose.)
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Plastic isn't a good long term storage solution anyway.
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Plastic isn't a good long term storage solution anyway.
Particularly for soda which goes flatter, faster, in plastic bottles than glass ones.
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Glass for soda and beer is equally ridiculous to me. I don't like the weight and I prefer cans. I wish they all came in cans the size of the Arizona Green Teas. And yes, I know, they have that plastic lining, which I hope they replace with something else like this new material.
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And if people want the containers to last / store things longer than that?
That was my question too, which leads me to asks what is the trigger(s) for decomp? If it's moisture and|or UV, then just keep it out of that and you're good. If it's just general air, then this new material isn't so good for everything. I did a very quick scan of the article and didn't see the trigger(s) mentioned.
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I make plastic materials all the time that readily degrade in UV light, hence I have to keep them out of it after they're cured but before they're painted or otherwise protected.
https://www.amazon.com/ANYCUBI... [amazon.com]
If you ever use that for anything, don't trust the low odor crap, it's full of shit. These all stink, so the trick is to print them inside of a grow tent with a 60mm fan and carbon filter running inside of it. Doesn't need to blow air out, just constantly cycling the air inside will do. I mix and mat
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then don't store it in the compost pile.
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Still better than "doesn't biodegrade at all".
Plant based, aka rats will eat your wires (Score:2)
Because avoiding electrical problems by using suitable materials is bourgeois pseudoscience or something.
Re: Plant based, aka rats will eat your wires (Score:2)
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All plastic eventually touches all food. Ask the fish swimming around full of microplastics. Or better yet eat the fish and experience the fun yourself. Plastic needs to be removed from all manufacturing processes sooner than later.
Re: Plant based, aka rats will eat your wires (Score:2)
Great. No prepackaged meats, no canned fruits and vegetables, no disposable coffee cups, and no organic produce transported from the other side of the country.
Where plastic substitutes exist, they'll be more energy and labor intensive to use, so fuck the poors who'll just have to eat algae and insects. And where plastic subsitutes don't exist...well, we didn't *really* mind tin leaching into our canned goods, did we?
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Rats chew on wires even when they're not made of anything remotely edible. They're rodents, the Latin meaning "to gnaw".
Are you serious? (Score:3)
Niche applications where bioplastic isn't suitable do exist. However, the thing that is polluting our oceans [statista.com] and bodies is not electrical wiring.
Re: Are you serious? (Score:2)
There are such morons for whom "plastic"=bad; to hell with context. And these idiots appear to dominate much of the discussion, and some of the policymaking.
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It's funny because you are posting the corollary of "such morons" where the very idea of replacing any plastic was a viewed as an attempt to replace every plastic without context. So, were you arguing in bad faith or are you also a "moron"?
Biodegradable plastics (Score:2)
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glass bottles can be washed and reused. This use to be standard practice.
Transporting, washing, and sterilizing empty glass bottles is both water and energy intensive. That is why this is no longer standard practice.
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That's silly. Far less energy intensive than making new glass.
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Far less energy intensive than making new glass.
Probably, but still much more energy intensive than plastic.
Re: Biodegradable plastics (Score:2)
I don't think that's the case. They use reusable glass bottles in many poor parts of Africa specifically because they have no resources. I doubt they are going with the expensive option.
My impression is that Western markets simply won't accept receiving a beverage in a bottle that is all scratched and chipped with the label half rubbed off. It looks dirty.
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I don't think that's the case. They use reusable glass bottles in many poor parts of Africa specifically because they have no resources. I doubt they are going with the expensive option.
They may not even be going with the sanitary option.
My impression is that Western markets simply won't accept receiving a beverage in a bottle that is all scratched and chipped with the label half rubbed off. It looks dirty.
The one thing this is still done for here is beer bottles. They have an industry standard size/shape (for domestic brands) so they don't have to be sorted by brand which makes it more efficient. It does require the cleaning removes the label entirely, because you won't know what brand it is going to be filled with next. I imagine they use some sort of chemical solution for this rather than just hot water, and that may also do the sterilizing (cause beer
The next scare (Score:1)
Re: The next scare (Score:2)
Generally speaking when micro-plastics degrade they are turned into... smaller micro-plastics.
What are they degrading into? (Score:2)
What could go wrong? (Score:2)
plant-based polymers
Wait until some micro organism develops a taste for this stuff -- and then mutates and feeds on other plastics ...
Mutant 59: The Plastic-Eaters [amazon.com] (Book, 1971)
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Re: What could go wrong? (Score:2)
Maybe what we need is MORE plastics so these colonies can spread around the world.
Maybe micro-plastics are the evidence of bacterial civilizations.
Lies (Score:2)
I don't believe a word of this. Maybe you can make a biodegradable plastic, but it comes down to the usual dilemma: Strong, cheap, biodegradable. Pick two.
This has already been done with Pela phone cases and their copycats. They've been tested and they're simply not biodegradable by any reasonable standard--if at all. The real solution is to reduce consumption, and these companies simply offer a band-aid solution that not only doesn't work, but encourages more consumption under the mistaken belief that it's
Sorry guys, Apple owns the patent already. (Score:3)
And, they've been using the degrade-in-seven-months tech on their iPhone battery for a while now.
The plastic of concern is .... (Score:2)
The plastic of concern is that which people regularly throw into the trash, like a daily coffee cup at work (do people still go there?). Focus on that which is thrown away after less use. eventually you can handle stuff rarely thrown out like a window frame that has been in use for 50 years and is being replaced.
Market (Score:2)
How big is the market for plastics that start to degrade in 6 months? Most plastic I encounter is for things which might be expected to sometimes sit on a shelf for 6 months.
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Most plastic I encounter is for things which might be expected to sometimes sit on a shelf for 6 months.
I'd hate to taste or smell the milk stored in your fridge right now...
standardization (Score:2)
Standards may have a role to play. Every plastic package I see seems to be customized to the content. If there were a standard size plastic box for hardware items or a standard laundry detergent bottle across the industry, I would have thought that reuse might be possible.
Industry could get together to develop standards to make packaging more recyclable (eg. Avoid mixing materials)
It may not make the problem go away but it might help