Scientists in Switzerland developed plastic from non-edible plant parts.
The team used glyoxylic acid to stabilize and clip together the molecules of non-edible plant parts. They then extracted the plant parts and used them as plastic. The new material has properties like polyethylene terephthalate or PET. It can be used in a variety of applications, ranging from textiles to medicine and even electronics.
The great thing about this plant-based plastic is that it has the benefits of conventional plastic but can also be naturally recycled. Using this material on a large scale can be a viable solution to reducing plastic usage and helping fight climate change.
What do you think of this innovation? Will this finally replace the commonly-used PET plastic, mainly made up of fossil fuels, that stock up our landfills? Please comment your thoughts below.