Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan have one-upped themselves in their quest to solve our microplastic problem. They report a new plant-based plastic made from cellulose, the world’s most abundant organic compound. The new plastic is strong, flexible, and capable of rapid decomposition in natural environments, setting it apart from other plastics marketed as biodegradable.
Skimmed the abstract and couldn’t see how they define “salt water”. Did not see it.
Theoretically, this has utility for shipping. So let’s say you have a pallet of water bottles. The bottles themselves will likely stay more traditional plastics. The plastic wrapping the 32 pack’s cardboard could potentially be this. The plastic wrap around the entire pallet of a bunch of stacks of those 32 packs? I… would probably still go traditional plastic, honestly.
Because a LOT of beverages are shockingly salty when you look at them (because salt is good and helps us retain water). If that is enough to even come close to triggering degradation then you lose the ability to store those bottles “indefinitely” and you drastically increase the risk that someone’s bottle breaks in their hand while they are leaving the 7-11. Which… defeats the purpose of WHY we use plastic for all this. And… it is a lot cheaper to have “one” bottle factory rather than one for each type of beverage.
As for that outermost layer? I would honestly just be terrified of a loading dock in the winter. Salt the ever loving hell out of that to minimize ice growth. And then suddenly you have pallets falling apart because of “quick” degradation.
Skimmed the abstract and couldn’t see how they define “salt water”. Did not see it.
Theoretically, this has utility for shipping. So let’s say you have a pallet of water bottles. The bottles themselves will likely stay more traditional plastics. The plastic wrapping the 32 pack’s cardboard could potentially be this. The plastic wrap around the entire pallet of a bunch of stacks of those 32 packs? I… would probably still go traditional plastic, honestly.
Because a LOT of beverages are shockingly salty when you look at them (because salt is good and helps us retain water). If that is enough to even come close to triggering degradation then you lose the ability to store those bottles “indefinitely” and you drastically increase the risk that someone’s bottle breaks in their hand while they are leaving the 7-11. Which… defeats the purpose of WHY we use plastic for all this. And… it is a lot cheaper to have “one” bottle factory rather than one for each type of beverage.
As for that outermost layer? I would honestly just be terrified of a loading dock in the winter. Salt the ever loving hell out of that to minimize ice growth. And then suddenly you have pallets falling apart because of “quick” degradation.
It might also be completely unusable if it’s going to be touched by human hands, as hands get sweaty, and sweat is salty water.