In phase 1, specific microorganisms, like bacteria and fungi, colonize the surface of the plastic material. These microorganisms can either be present naturally in the environment or added ...

Researchers combined milk protein, starch, and volcanic clay to create a biodegradable packaging film that degrades in 13 weeks.

Every year, 400 million tons of plastic products are produced worldwide, half of which are single-use items discarded within a year. In particular, non-biodegradable plastic waste, which takes over ...

The world has a big plastic problem that it's yet to fix. We're trying to reduce our reliance on plastic, but that's seemingly impossible in modern society. The material is too important for our daily ...

A new eco-friendly plastic called LAHB has shown it can biodegrade even in the extreme environment of the deep ocean, unlike conventional plastics that persist for decades. In real-world underwater ...

Scientists have found a way to convert discarded shrimp shells into dense, plastic-like films and objects, a development that could redirect tons of seafood industry waste into a viable substitute for ...

Old trees are learning new tricks with the advent of composite materials. A "green composite" made from biodegradable polymers and the waste bark of the Yakushima Jisugi tree was developed by a ...

In agricultural production, microplastics have become environmental pollutants that cannot be ignored. They may not only enter the food chain through the soil-plant system, threatening food safety, ...

A local packaging distributor is working to expand the reach of a biodegradable film capable of reducing waste in the manufacturing process. Packaging Systems of Wisconsin, a Sheboygan-based division ...

(Bloomberg Businessweek) -- In recent years, at least a half-dozen countries have embraced plastics made with an additive intended to break them down into carbon dioxide, water and harmless organic ...