&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Japanese scientists developed eco-friendly plastic that dissolves in water, offering hope against global pollution")
Japanese scientists developed a new plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastic. A team of researchers from Japan has developed a new type of plastic that could help tackle the growing problem of ocean pollution. Scientists from the RIKEN Centre for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo have created a plastic material that dissolves in seawater within a few hours and leaves behind no harmful particles.
Unlike traditional plastic, which can take hundreds of years to break down, this new material breaks down into its basic components when exposed to salt. These components are then processed by bacteria in water, producing no microplastic or nanoplastic waste.
How the new plastic works
The researchers demonstrated the plastic’s behaviour in a lab in Wako City, near Tokyo. In the experiment, the material was placed in salt water and dissolved in around one hour. The same process would take about 200 hours if buried in salty soil.
The material is also reported to be non-toxic, fire-resistant, and does not release carbon dioxide during breakdown. Although it is not yet ready for commercial use, scientists are working on a coating method that could make the plastic suitable for everyday packaging.
Project leader Takuzo Aida mentioned that the new material has already gained interest from companies in the packaging sector due to its environmental potential.
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Global plastic waste concerns
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), plastic waste in oceans is expected to triple by 2040, reaching between 23 and 37 million tonnes annually. This growing concern has pushed researchers to find sustainable alternatives.
In 2023, a study published in the British journal Nature found that India contributes to about one-fifth of global plastic pollution. The country burns 5.8 million tonnes of plastic and releases another 2.5 million tonnes into the environment each year.
This new plastic innovation can offer hope in reducing the environmental impact, especially in countries that are struggling with plastic waste management.
