Italiano
A new biodegradable plastic could change the future of the marine environment. A team of researchers from the Riken Center for Emergent Matter Science and the University of Tokyo has developed a material that dissolves in seawater within a few hours, without generating microplastics or harmful emissions.
This innovation is non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not release CO₂, thus reducing environmental impact even during disposal.
But the benefits don’t end there: once buried, the plastic decomposes in about ten days, enriching the soil with nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen.
Besides being fully recyclable (up to 90% of components recoverable), the material is also versatile: it can be used for packaging, medical devices, 3D printing, and more.
Professor Takuzo Aida, project lead, highlights the growing interest in this discovery, although there are no immediate commercialization plans yet.
In laboratory tests conducted in Wako, a fragment of the material disappeared in saltwater after just one hour of agitation.
Innovations like Riken’s should be seen not only as technological achievements but as a signal of the direction we can take, if we choose to.
Of course, much more is needed: reducing overall plastic production, improving waste management, and promoting alternative and sustainable materials.
In this context, the negotiations for an international treaty against plastic pollution, launched in 2022 and expected to conclude by the end of 2024, also represent a hope.