Key points
- Scientists strive to find innovative solutions to plastic waste crisis
- Plastic pollution is projected to triple by 2040: UNEP
- Children do not have choice of which planet to inherit: Takuzo Aida
ISLAMABAD: Researchers in Japan have developed a type of plastic that dissolves in seawater within a matter of hours, offering a potential solution to a modern environmental scourge that pollutes oceans and endangers marine life.
Although scientists have been exploring biodegradable plastics for some time, a team from the RIKEN Centre for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo claims their new material breaks down significantly faster and leaves behind no trace, according to Reuters.
In a laboratory in Wako City, near Tokyo, the team demonstrated how a small piece of the plastic completely dissolved in a container of saltwater after being stirred for approximately an hour.
Plans for commercialisation
While the team has yet to announce any plans for commercialisation, project leader Takuzo Aida stated that their work has already attracted considerable interest, particularly from those in the packaging industry.
Across the globe, scientists are striving to find innovative solutions to the escalating plastic waste crisis — a mission highlighted by awareness initiatives such as World Environment Day, observed on 5 June.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme UNEP), plastic pollution is projected to triple by 2040, potentially adding between 23 and 37 million metric tonnes of waste to the world’s oceans annually.
Absence of choice
“Children do not have the choice of which planet they will inherit. It is our responsibility, as scientists, to ensure we leave them with the best possible environment,” said Aida.
He explained that the new material is as durable as petroleum-based plastics, yet it decomposes into its original components when exposed to salt. These components can then be further broken down by naturally occurring bacteria, preventing the formation of harmful microplastics that can damage marine ecosystems and infiltrate the food chain.
Because salt is also found in soil, a five-centimetre (two-inch) piece of the material will degrade on land within roughly 200 hours, he added.
The material can function like conventional plastic when coated, and the team is currently concentrating its research on identifying the most effective coating techniques. According to Aida, the plastic is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not emit carbon dioxide.
