(Natural News) Noted for their ability to be molded and used for different purposes, plastics are some of the world’s most versatile materials. However, they are also considered to be among the most dangerous – especially for the environment. In fact, according to previous estimates by experts, there would be more plastic than fish in […]

(Natural News) Swedish researchers are keen on recovering as many resources as possible from waste products. One of their latest research projects promises to come up with a way to free useful chemical compounds from biological waste. In this context, biological waste refers to unwanted organic waste products from the agricultural and food industries, such […]

(Natural News) More than a billion people in this world do not have access to healthy and nutritious food. This alone is harrowing, save the fact that around a third of global food production is either lost or wasted. Food waste is defined as the intentional disposal of any safe and nutritious food. This happens […]

(Natural News) A Mexican startup is turning the tons of agricultural waste produced by avocado farms into useful products. Named Biofase, the company uses a technique that converts the discarded pits of the fruit into bioplastic, which in turn is used to make biodegradable plastic products. Biofase set up shop in the Mexican state of Michoacan, the center of the […]

(Natural News) Even as humans keep on filling the planet with plastic pollutants, the bountiful oceans reveal a means by which the problem can be resolved. An Israeli research team announced that they successfully created a biodegradable plastic from a common seaweed. Their new bioplastic could be broken down by bacteria that feed on the seaweed […]

(Natural News) Japanese researchers debuted a new compound that can accelerate the oxidation of the sugar-derived 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and turn it into raw material for bioplastics. The new catalyst is also sustainable since it can further reduce the dependency on fossil fuels that are currently used to create most plastics and associated catalysts. Most raw materials […]

(Natural News) Japanese and Dutch researchers demonstrated a new technique to extract an important plastic-making chemical from non-edible plant matter in large quantities. Their method of getting furan-2,5-dicarboxylic acid (FDCA) from a renewable source of material could displace the fossil fuel equivalent that is used to make plastic bottles and other plastic products. There is […]

(Natural News) Japanese researchers found the natural means by which a species of algae regulates its starch production. They believe this biological mechanism can be used to increase the starch content of algae, which would make it much more efficient and profitable to cultivate the tiny plant on an agricultural scale. Starch is not just […]

(Natural News) Spanish researchers are touting a certain strain of phototrophic bacteria as a cheap, clean, and efficient means of extracting organic compounds from sewage. They claim the recovered materials can be turned into useful bioplastics and biofuel. Phototrophic bacteria are different from their photosynthetic cousins in that they can only store energy derived from sunlight. While they can […]

(Natural News) Although the construction industry is adopting 3D printing techniques, old-fashioned concrete remains the building material of choice. But experts believe bioplastics will eventually usurp concrete due to their greater sustainability. Zoubeir Lafhaj of the École Centrale de Lille (ECL) explained that 3D printing is one of the pillars of the current industrial revolution. […]