Researchers in the United States have discovered an efficient, cost-effective way to make biodegradable plastics from unused and potentially polluting waste. The process makes use of bacteria found in the salt water of mangroves.
The starting point for the study was a simple observation: the U.S. generates seven million tons of sewage sludge annually, enough to fill 2,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools. While some of this waste is repurposed for manure and other land applications, a large quantity is sent to landfill. Now, after several attempts, a team of researchers from Texas A&M University has discovered an efficient and cost-effective way of using leftover sludge to produce…
Keep on reading: How sewage sludge could be used to make the plastics of tomorrow