Sugar-Based Plastics That You Can Compost at Home

Recycling is a good thing. But it does take a considerable amount of energy and resources. Throwing a wilted head of lettuce on your compost pile? That requires zero energy, zero resources (just minimal effort on your part). What if you could throw your plastics into the compost too?

Being able to compost plastics would save energy and keep plastics out of landfills, right?

That's what the researchers at the Imperial College of London think. And they're developing a plastic made from sugars that would be able to be composted right along with the rest of your eggshells and moldy bread. It would degrade much faster than plastics currently being made with corn, and would require less energy and water to make.

The research sounds interesting. And we'd love to see this happen, because it does sound like a much greener plastic.

Learn more about this new plastic at Inhabitat.

Via: Inhabitat

Comments (4)

But how can you keep any kind of liquid in it?

Have you ever tried to use the corn based silverware? It is impossible to finish a meal with your fork or knife intact.

You should be able to hold liquid in these bottles because hopefully your pantry/fridge would not harbor the same activators/catalysts found in a compost pile.

I thought this existed already?

Detox, I've used corn based cutlery and really not had too much of an issue. Sure, I've seen it warp a bit in hot soup but it's never seemed a big deal.