Plastics

In an effort to tackle to growing problem of plastic pollution, NEC Corp has today made commercially available a bioplastic made with plant ingredients that breaks down in the environment in around four years.

If there's one way of getting automobiles to use less gas, it's by lowering their weight. With that in mind, European researchers have now created a plastic camshaft module, which they claim offers more advantages than simply being lightweight.

A new study out of the UK has revealed what plastic pollution might mean for hermit crabs, with an environment rich in microplastics seeming to affect their cognitive performance when selecting a home.

Two new studies by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are shedding new light on plastic waste in the Antarctic. Using surveys of marine debris, researchers determined the source of plastics in the region and the effectiveness of mitigation efforts.

A new technology out of Purdue University is a shining example of using green tech to craft next-gen batteries, with scientists using a common form of plastic waste to craft a key component through the use of standard household microwave technology.

Understanding the extent of plastic pollution is incredibly difficult. Scientists have again found evidence of small particles in the most remote of places, discovering microplastics lodged in cores of Antarctic sea ice for the first time.

A new study by scientists in Italy has shone a light on the way lobsters digest plastic particles, finding that their stomach actually grinds them up into tiny fragments that can pose a risk to smaller creatures in the food chain.

We've been hearing more and more about biodegradable plastics, made from cellulose nanofibers. Although those fibers are typically harvested from wood waste, new research shows that they could also be obtained from mega-plentiful used coffee grounds.

Looking to learn more about the damage plastic waste causes marine animals, scientists have found that fish subjected to high concentrations of microplastic fibers can experience profound changes to their respiratory and reproductive systems.

Sea turtles are one example of a creature that regularly consumes plastic trash for dinner, and a new study offers up new answers as to why revealing that they can mistake the smell of plastic for food as part of an “olfactory trap.”

Bioplastics are already a more eco-friendly alternative to their petroleum-based counterparts. Now, scientists have created a clear bioplastic film that not only blocks harmful UV radiation, but that is also more airtight than traditional plastics.

In the chemical-production industry, energy-intensive processes are constantly being used to remove unwanted molecules from liquids. It now looks like much of that energy could be saved, however, by utilizing filters made from plastic bottles.