Water soluble plastics

Plastic waste in water has long been one of the major pollution problems, but there may now be a solution in sight, according to a Reuters article by Irene Wang  (LINK):   


“Researchers in Japan have developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours, offering up a potential solution for a modern-day scourge polluting oceans and harming wildlife. … [T]he new material is as strong as petroleum-based plastics but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain.”


A key factor will be persuading commercial users to adopt in this form of plastic.  Doing so will likely take both social pressure perhaps financial incentives. Nonetheless, water soluble plastic could be important for preserving God's creation.






 


 

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