All articles tagged with #plastic waste
Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale used CRISPR-edited yeast to convert PET plastic and plant byproducts into edible components, which are then 3D-printed into cookies called μBites. While the approach could aid food security and long-duration space missions, it remains expensive and far from scalable as a solution to global plastic waste.
New Jersey’s “Skip the Stuff” law, effective Aug. 1, bans automatic inclusion of single-use utensils, straws, and condiment packets in takeout and certain dine-in orders; customers must request these items, and food platforms must default to no utensils unless opted in, with fines for violations. Exemptions cover K–12 schools, healthcare facilities, and prisons, while food-court restaurants are exempt until 2028; dine-in venues with 10+ seats must use washable utensils and offer condiments in bottles or reusable containers. The state says the goal is to cut waste, though social media reactions are largely negative, with some supporters.
Researchers from UCLA and Ewha Womans University demonstrated a lab-scale, single-reactor Alkaline Thermal Treatment (ATT) that converts a mixed, unsorted stream of PET, PE and PP plastics into hydrogen gas with over 90% purity, without emitting CO2. The process uses heat, sodium hydroxide, and a mild oxidation pretreatment, and the plastic-derived carbon is captured as sodium carbonate (with potential to become calcium carbonate for construction). While promising for reducing plastic waste and decarbonizing hydrogen, significant scaling and economic viability work is needed before it can be deployed in municipal plants.
Aarhus University researchers upcycled discarded polystyrene into a solid amine-based carbon-capture material that works at both smokestack CO2 concentrations and ambient air; a two‑step bromination (gold catalyst) and amination (copper catalyst) builds a tunable porous structure, showing potential to derive carbon-capture materials from waste plastics, though energy use and performance trade-offs remain.
Researchers engineered E. coli to convert PET-derived terephthalic acid into levodopa, a Parkinson’s drug, via a two-step metabolic pathway in a lab proof-of-concept using sequential bacterial strains; not yet scalable, but it demonstrates a potential plastic-to-pharma recycling route and eco-friendly drug production, building on earlier work turning PET into other medicines. Published in Nature Sustainability with EPSRC funding.
Researchers analyzing asteroid Ryugu samples found the five DNA/RNA nucleobases (adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine, uracil) plus ammonia, suggesting primitive solar-system chemistry could seed life's ingredients on Earth; a German study shows a bacterial consortium can degrade several phthalate esters used in plastics via cross-feeding; and new Hubble images captured the breakup of Comet C/2025 K1 (ATLAS) as it left the solar system, with Engadget recapping other notable science stories from the week.
The article investigates the widespread practice of burning plastic waste as household fuel in low-income urban communities across the Global South, highlighting its prevalence, drivers such as inadequate waste management and energy poverty, and associated health and environmental risks, while emphasizing the need for improved waste systems and clean energy access to mitigate this issue.
A scientist warns that daily consumption of bottled water introduces tens of thousands of micro- and nanoplastics into the body, which may cause chronic health issues such as inflammation, hormone disruption, and neurological damage, though long-term effects are still not fully understood. Education and awareness are crucial to mitigate these risks.
Scientists have genetically engineered E. coli bacteria to convert waste plastic into painkillers like paracetamol, building on its long history as a versatile tool in biotechnology for producing pharmaceuticals and chemicals. While E. coli remains the dominant organism due to its robustness and extensive research background, there is growing interest in exploring other microbes like Vibrio natriegens for more sustainable and efficient biotechnological applications.
A Danish research team has developed a method to convert decomposed PET plastic waste into a material called BAETA that efficiently captures CO2, offering a dual solution to plastic pollution and climate change by turning waste into a resource for reducing greenhouse gases.
Scientists at the University of Copenhagen have developed a method to convert PET plastic waste into a material called BAETA that efficiently captures CO2, addressing both plastic pollution and climate change by turning waste into a useful resource for industrial carbon capture.
Julian Brown, a young Atlanta inventor known for creating Plastoline, a machine that converts plastic waste into fuel, has been missing for two weeks following cryptic social media posts indicating he felt threatened and was being followed. His disappearance has sparked online concern and speculation that he may have been targeted due to his innovative work disrupting traditional industries.
Yale researchers have developed a catalyst-free pyrolysis device using a 3D-printed, hierarchical porous carbon reactor that efficiently converts plastic waste into fuels, achieving a record-high 66% conversion rate, offering a promising solution for plastic waste management.
Scientists have estimated that approximately 27 million tons of nanoplastics are present in the North Atlantic Ocean, revealing a vast amount of tiny plastic particles that are difficult to clean up and pose potential risks to marine life and human health. The study highlights the importance of preventing further plastic pollution rather than attempting to remove existing nanoplastics.
Scientists have developed a method using genetically modified E. coli bacteria to convert plastic waste into the painkiller paracetamol, offering a sustainable way to produce drugs while cleaning up environmental plastic pollution.