Sustainable 'plastics' are on the horizon

[rangerrebew]

Sustainable 'plastics' are on the horizon
December 24, 2018, Tel Aviv University


A new Tel Aviv University study describes a process to make bioplastic polymers that don't require land or fresh water—resources that are scarce in much of the world. The polymer is derived from microorganisms that feed on seaweed. It is biodegradable, produces zero toxic waste and recycles into organic waste.

The invention was the fruit of a multidisciplinary collaboration between Dr. Alexander Golberg of TAU's Porter School of Environmental and Earth Sciences and Prof. Michael Gozin of TAU's School of Chemistry. Their research was recently published in the journal Bioresource Technology.

According to the United Nations, plastic accounts for up to 90 percent of all the pollutants in our oceans, yet there are few comparable, environmentally friendly alternatives to the material.

https://phys.org/news/2018-12-sustainable-plastics-horizon.html

[Joe Wooten]

What was not mentioned is how much it will cost. I'd bet that it will cost more than using oil to make plastic. Also, there is usually a 20 to 40 year lag time between lab processes and commercial operations. That could be cut in half by extensive government funding which would be more expensive in the long run. bureaucratic wasteage will ensure that.