A team of scientists at the RIKEN Centre for Emergent Matter Science in Japan has invented biodegradable plastic that could be dissolved in seawater within just a few hours. Takuzo Aida, a materials scientist with over three decades of experience working with supramolecular polymers, is leading the project.  

As we've highlighted in previous articles, microplastics are showing up in more places than ever and are becoming a serious concern. Their long-term impacts include stunted animal growth, fertility issues and other harmful effects. 

The new plastic performs similarly to traditional plastics in terms of flexibility, strength, and durability. What’s unique is its ability to degrade quickly in saltwater within 8.5 hours, which could significantly reduce the amount of plastic waste entering our oceans. 

Aida and his team’s new plastic is comprised of a unique class of polymers with weaker, reversible bonds that function like "sticky notes" (with the ability to attach and peel off easily when broken pieces are pressed back together). This allows them to be easily processed using specific solvents to break down the material’s bonds at the molecular level. 

Furthermore, the material releases substances like nitrogen and phosphorus when it breaks down – benefitting the environment as these substances can be processed by microbes and absorbed by plants for nourishment.   

However, Aida cautions that careful management of these byproducts is necessary as an excess of these nutrients in coastal ecosystems could trigger harmful algal blooms and potentially disrupting the balance of marine life. 

He believes that while biodegradable plastics are a key step, the real solution lies in changing how plastics are produced and consumed. Without stronger action, global plastic production and carbon emissions could more than double by 2050. 

“The plastics industry’s infrastructure makes change difficult, but I believe there will come a tipping point where we’ll be forced to power through that change.” 

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