Biodegradable

Scientists at Finland's VTT Technical Research Centre have been developing an alternative leather made from fungi, and have now demonstrated a way to produce continuous sheets of the stuff at commercial scales.

As technology continues to evolve, we're going to see an increasing number of battery-powered connected devices – some of which will be single-use, like shipping packaging. A new biodegradable mini-capacitor has been created with such uses in mind.

Most plastics don’t break down easily – and when they do, they create problematic microplastic particles. A new type of compostable plastic is embedded with enzymes that, when triggered, quickly break the material down to its constituent molecules.

Last year, we heard how scientists had created eco-friendly soft gel particles from hard grains of pollen. Now, they've used those particles to create sponges that could soak up oil spills, then biodegrade once used up.

Like most other commonly used types of plastic, polyurethane is typically made from non-renewable crude oil, and it takes centuries to break down when discarded. Now, however, scientists have created a biodegradable polyurethane-like polymer using fish waste.

Although not a huge seller everywhere, durian fruit is consumed in great quantities in countries like Singapore. Scientists there have now developed a method of using its husks to create cheap, eco-friendly, antibacterial hydrogel bandages.

For patients with an injured or compromised trachea, the insertion of a stent is often required in order to keep their airway open. A new type of airway stent should remain in place better than others, and will biodegrade when no longer needed.

E-waste is a growing problem, so if an electronic component can't be reused or recycled, it should at least be biodegradable. That's where an experimental new electronic display comes in, as it can be composted when no longer needed.

Although pens may not be a huge source of landfill waste, it still hurts the environment when they're simply thrown away. That's where the Scribit Pen is designed to come in, as it's claimed to be completely compostable.

While we have been hearing about the development of health-monitoring implantable sensors, most such devices would have to be surgically removed once no longer needed. An experimental new one, however, would just harmlessly dissolve.

Two of the problems with traditional plastics are the facts that they're made from non-renewable petroleum, and they stick around for centuries once discarded. A new alternative, however, is made from existing waste, and should biodegrade in a year.

A new review article, from a team of material scientists, is suggesting a leather-like material made from mushroom-derived biomass has the potential to be cheaper, and more environmentally sustainable, than animal leather or its plastic derivations.