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Plastic has been found everywhere scientists have looked: From the deepest oceanic trenches to the highest alpine peaks. Petroleum-based plastics do not biodegrade.

Put together two environmentally conscious professionals — a product designer and a pharmacist by trade — and you wind up with biodegradable prescription bottles that are getting traction with consumers. Health sciences startup Parcel Health Inc. of Bellevue has been piloting biodegradable pill bottles at 10 drug stores in eight states, including Pennsylvania, replacing the ubiquitous dark orange plastic bottles used by pharmacists to dispense drugs for decades. Consumer reaction at a West View drug store where they have been introduced has been positive, said Kyle McCormick, founder of Blueberry Pharmacy. “Patients love it,” Mr. McCormick said. “It’s a pretty...

PROGRESS WATCH   Two decades after a landmark treaty, and despite an overall increase due largely to Syria’s civil war, the majority of affected countries recorded fewer deaths linked to land mines and cluster munitions. In January 1997, Diana, princess of Wales, famously walked through an active minefield in Angola to raise awareness of the ongoing threats posed by land mines. During her visit, with the help of a removal expert, Diana detonated one of the remaining mines. “One down, 17 million to go,” she said while pushing the button. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the death of...

Department of Energy's scientists announced this week that they have designed a plastic that can be recycled over and over again. Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory wrote in Nature Chemistry that they had designed new plastic, called polydiketoenamine or PDK, that could be disassembled down to the molecular level and reassembled into different shapes, textures or colors multiple times. Modern-day plastics are reinforced with chemicals to make them more resilient and often end up making the material more difficult to fully recycle. ..... < snip > < snip > ..... Even the most recyclable plastic is only being...

New sustainable biopolymer technology may one day free the world of its worst pollutant Source: American Friends of Tel Aviv University Summary: A new Tel Aviv University study describes a process to make bioplastic polymers that don't require land or fresh water — resources that are scarce in much of the world. The resulting material is biodegradable, produces zero toxic waste and recycles into organic waste. FULL STORY: The invention was the fruit of a multidisciplinary collaboration between Dr. Alexander Golberg of TAU's Porter School of Environmental and Earth Sciences and Prof. Michael Gozin of TAU's School of Chemistry....

There are three steps in making alga-based yarn...: First, a sugar called alginate is derived from kelp—a multicellular algal seaweed—and powdered. Next the alginate powder is turned into a water-based gel, to which plant-based color (such as carrot juice) is added. Finally, the gel is extruded into long strands of fiber that can be woven into a fabric. ... Materials scientists in China have noted that alga-based fibers are naturally fire-resistant, potentially reducing the need for adding toxic flame retardants to clothing. Also, alga biodegrades faster than cotton—the most common natural clothing fiber—and growing it does not require pesticides or...

A solicitation on the Department of Defense's Small Business Innovation Research web site is looking for a smart company to develop biodegradable ammunition. The military would like to see projectile cartridges—which are rarely all cleaned up after a live-fire exercise—made out of biodegradable plastic. The military also references a research paper on the use of biodegradable plastics reinforced with bamboo fibers. But the Pentagon isn't stopping there. It also wants spent ammunition and casings to contain bioengineered seeds that would, after several months, grow environmentally friendly plants that would remove soil contaminants. The proposal even specifies that animals "should be...

Dissolvable electronic materials could be used in medical implants and environmentally friendly gadgets. A team of researchers has designed flexible electronic components that can dissolve inside the body, and in water. The components could be used to make smart devices that disintegrate once they are no longer useful, helping to alleviate electronic waste and enabling the development of medical implants that don’t need to be surgically removed. So far, the team has designed an imaging system that monitors tissue from within a mouse, a thermal patch that prevents infection after a surgical site is closed up, solar cells and strain...

Plastic problems Smooth, shiny plastic covers may make our mobiles look good - but they last for hundreds of years in landfill sites. Producing plastics creates a lot of nasty waste and products that can be difficult to get rid of or recycle. But Kerry Kirwan, an engineer at Warwick University, may have come up with an answer to our plastic problems. Plant power Kerry has been working with plastics manufacturer PVAXX Research to develop a new type of phone cover made from biodegradable plastics. These covers are created from a mixture of plastics and minerals. They break down into...

Nobody wants to be pushing up daisies. But you kind of like to think that when you one day find yourself doing it, at least the daisies will be real. But not if you're six feet under Sunset Hills Memorial Park in Apple Valley, Calif. The Associated Press reported yesterday that the famous cemetery is giving up grass in favor of artificial turf. The owners of Sunset Hills Memorial Park say the switch will save as much as $180,000 in water and maintenance costs over the next three years. "I actually believe it will revolutionize the cemetery industry eventually," said...