Plastics are produced by the conversion of natural products or by the synthesis from primary chemicals coming from oil, natural gas, or coal. Unfortunately, we rely on virgin plastics as it is cheap to manufacture and used in too many daily products including packaging of food, textiles, toys, and other household items.
Bob Larson
Plastics are a big polluter of our waterways and oceans, and single-use items such as plastic bags are a big part of the problem. About eight tons of plastic enter our oceans every year, clogging our beaches and harming sea life. Scientists indicate plastics can cause an immune response, respiration issues, and death in aquatic life. Even worse, studies show the average American ingests more than 70,000 microplastic particles every year, causing major health problems too.
Some plastics we know are toxic, such as PVC, aka vinyl. The bigger problem is plastic isn’t biodegradable and lasts for hundreds of years! Plastic recycling helps to lower the manufacturing of new plastics, but many plastics are not recyclable due to the cost. Don’t be surprised to learn that 50% of all recyclable plastics are never recycled. Guess where they end up?
A new type of plastic that’s easy on the environment is created in the United Kingdom, and it’s made from peas. The company, Xampla, says it’s the first in the world to engineer plant protein into a material that acts like single-use plastic. It starts as a liquid that’s turned into sheets for packaging items like dishwasher detergent, sandwiches, candy, and even the stickers that go on fruit. All biodegradable in a matter of days and won’t affect humans or animal life.
We need to quit producing many carbon-based plastics as it is affecting our environment and convert to these new sources of biodegradable plastics. Another great use of technology in saving our planet.
~ Bob Larson is a technologist and Marketing Director for 50 Plus.