Scientists in the US have claimed to have developed a biodegradable plastic that can decompose as quickly as banana peel.
Researchers in Seattle believe they have found an alternative to traditional plastic using powdered blue-green cyanobacteria cells, otherwise known as spirulina.
By applying heat and pressure in a way similar to that used to make ordinary plastic, the hardened powder can be formed into different shapes.
The eco-plastics created by the team at the University of Washington have properties comparable to the single-use, petroleum-produced plastics.
Their findings have appeared in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.
Referring to the billions of tonnes of plastic in the oceans, the team write: “ the need for sustainable bio-based alternatives to traditional petroleum derived plastics is evident.”
