Plastic can now be programmed to have a lifespan of days, months, or years.
Chemists have devised a way to engineer plastic to break down after its useful life, reducing pollution.
Why it matters
- This innovation could significantly reduce plastic pollution by creating materials that break down when no longer needed.
- Current plastic waste is a global issue, with only 14% of discarded plastic being recycled in 2022.
By the numbers
- In 2022, over a quarter of a billion tonnes of plastic was discarded globally.
- Only 14% of discarded plastic was recycled in 2022.
- The new technique can create plastics with finely-tuned lifespans ranging from days to years.
The big picture
- The new plastics mimic natural polymers like DNA and RNA, which break down relatively quickly.
- Artificial chemical structures that mimic natural polymers are added to create plastics that can break down easily.
- The technique is currently best suited for short-lived consumer materials like food packaging.
What they're saying
- Some commenters expressed concerns about potential long-term environmental impacts, such as the breakdown products becoming toxic or contributing to microplastics.
- Others were skeptical about the commercial use of this technology for environmental reasons.
- There were questions about what exactly the plastic breaks down into.
Caveats
- The liquid left over after the plastics deconstruct needs further testing to ensure it is not toxic.
- Currently, ultraviolet light is required to initiate the deconstruction process, which limits its effectiveness in dark environments.
- The technique is less suited for plastics that need to remain stable for decades before breaking down.
What’s next
- Further testing is needed to ensure the safety of the breakdown products.
- Researchers are working on ways to make the plastic break down in the dark.