Researchers have doubts and reservations about whether it could decompose prematurely and “infect” the ecosystem. Further studies and tests are still needed.
Plastic production has doubled in the last 20 years.
A recent study from the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom estimates that every year approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic are dispersed into the environment globally without being correctly disposed of.
From scientific research comes a new hope for combating this form of pollution: a plastic that self-degrades thanks to bacterial spores embedded within the polymer, which begin the degradation process under specific conditions. One might almost say the plastic eats itself — and if this experiment, published in Nature Communications, could be replicated on a large scale, the harmful environmental impact would be progressively reduced.
But while the advantages are undeniable, there are reservations. Researchers fear that the plastic could decompose prematurely under certain environmental conditions, or that the bacteria responsible for degradation could “infect” the ecosystem once deployed at scale. Further studies and tests are still needed to find answers.
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Source: la Repubblica Green & Blue
By: Paolo Travisi
Date: 12 October 2024
