In Australia, major study in Southeast Queensland is testing how quickly biodegradable plastics break down in waterways, as researchers search for solutions to the world’s growing plastics problem. The project is underway at the A$13 million Australian Research Council Training Centre for Bioplastics and Biocomposites at The University of Queensland, Director, Associate Professor Steven Pratt said the Centre was responding to unprecedented growth in demand for bioderived and biodegradable products with more than 10 million tonnes of plastic waste accumulating in oceans each year.
“One of the aims is to develop products that are capable of biodegrading in ambient environments to avoid the accumulation of micro and nanoplastics,” Dr Pratt said. “The prospect of manufacturing a commercially available plastic with exceptional properties, but without the adverse legacy for the environment, is an exciting one.
