Innovative Solutions for Plastic Waste

Once in the jungles of Ecuador, a group of students came across a rare species of fungus – Pestalotiopsis microspora. It turned out that this inhabitant of the Amazon rainforest possessed extraordinary properties that enabled it to break down plastic (Anderson, 2014). Sound like a fantasy story? The event took place more than a decade ago. During this time, researchers have developed a number of innovative technology solutions and approaches to tackle plastic waste…

Another fascinating discovery was shared by scientists at the University of Cambridge, who in 2017 reported on an accidental discovery initially made by a scientist and an amateur beekeeper. When a wax butterfly caterpillar Galleria mellonella was placed in a plastic bag, it was found to be able to break down hard-to-biodegrade plastics such as polyethylene and polystyrene. What’s more, the process resulted in valuable products such as polyethylene alcohol (Bombelli et al., 2017).

The hope for success in the effective fight against plastic waste may lie in an invention by scientists at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2021, a team led by Professor Ting Xu announced that they had successfully created a material that can almost completely biodegrade under easily achievable conditions, such as high temperature or immersion in water (Carpineti, 2021).

Particularly fascinating discoveries in the biodegradation of plastics or innovative recycling methods are also possible through the use of artificial intelligence in the last few years. Computer vision-based sorting technology or automatic composting are just some examples of innovative solutions in waste management.

If you have heard of other innovative solutions that could revolutionise the way waste is managed, leading to greater efficiency and more sustainable practices, share them with us!