How can we fix our plastic waste problem? - BBC News

Summary

The video script discusses the persistent issue of plastic waste and introduces innovative solutions. Companies like Polymateria are developing biodegradable plastics that can break down into wax-like substances under certain conditions, attracting microbes to fully return to nature within a year. Products include food packaging, face masks, and hygiene items. Epoch Biodesign is another firm focusing on enzyme technology to break down plastic waste into reusable chemicals for new products, aiming to address the 100 million-tonne annual plastic problem.

Takeaways

• 🌍 A generation is demanding change in how we deal with plastic, acknowledging its negative side effects while recognizing its utility.
• 🔄 The challenge is that all plastic ever created still exists, necessitating innovative solutions for its management.
• 🌱 Companies like Polymateria are developing biodegradable plastics that can break down under certain conditions such as heat, air, and sunlight.
• 📦 Polymateria's products are used in food packaging and cups, and they are now expanding into other materials like face masks and hygiene products.
• 🛠 The biodegradation process involves three stages: time control, transformation into a wax-like state, and attraction of microbes for complete breakdown.
• ⏱ The self-destructing feature of the plastic can be adjusted at the point of manufacture to control the rate of degradation.
• 🧪 The final biodegradation results in a soft, powdery substance that is harmless and disappears, unlike microplastics which persist.
• 📈 Other companies are also tackling the plastic problem, with Epoch Biodesign focusing on enzymes that break down plastic waste into reusable chemicals.
• 🔬 The scientific community is encouraged to rigorously review the data and methods used in these plastic solutions to ensure their effectiveness.
• 🌱 The ultimate goal is to create a significant impact on the annual 100 million-tonne plastic problem and find sustainable alternatives.

Q & A

What is the main issue with plastic as mentioned in the transcript?

The main issue is that all of the plastic ever created still exists in some form somewhere, contributing to environmental pollution.

How does Polymateria's approach to plastic revolutionize the industry?

Polymateria creates products that biodegrade in certain conditions like heat, air, moisture, or sunlight, aiming to return the material back into nature.

What new types of materials is Polymateria moving into?

Polymateria is moving into creating alternatives for materials used in face masks, women's hygiene products, and wipes.

How does the biodegradation process of Polymateria's plastic work?

The process involves three core steps: time control to transition the material from a plastic-like state to a wax-like state, then the wax draws in microbes, fungi, and bacteria to fully biodegrade the material back to nature in less than a year.

What is unique about the biodegradation of Polymateria's plastic compared to traditional plastic?

Polymateria's plastic transforms into a soft, wax-like substance that is harmless and biodegradable, unlike traditional plastic which remains unchanged and harmful to the environment.

What are the advantages of Polymateria's biodegradable plastic in terms of handling and appearance?

The biodegradable plastic appears and feels the same as traditional plastic until it starts to transform, making it user-friendly and less noticeable in terms of change.

How does Epoch Biodesign approach the plastic problem differently?

Epoch Biodesign focuses on designing enzymes that break down plastic waste into building blocks for new products like paints, coatings, fertilizers, cleaning products, and ultimately new plastic.

What is the significance of publishing papers in the field for companies like Polymateria?

Publishing papers allows companies to share their data and research, making it available for rigorous review by other experts in the field, which enhances credibility and transparency.

What is the '100 million tonne per annum problem' referred to in the transcript?

The '100 million tonne per annum problem' refers to the massive amount of plastic waste produced annually that needs to be addressed.

Why is it important to find solutions for plastic waste even if new plastic production is halted?

Even if new plastic production is stopped, there are already 10 billion tons of plastic waste that need to be managed and dealt with effectively.

How does the beauty of biology play a role in solving the plastic problem according to Epoch Biodesign?

Biology allows for chemical reactions to occur at low temperatures and pressures, enabling the use of enzymes to break down plastics into their building blocks for reuse.

Outlines

00:00

🌱 Revolutionizing Plastic with Biodegradable Alternatives

The video script discusses the generational demand for change in the face of plastic pollution and highlights the innovative work of companies like Polymateria. These companies are developing plastics that can biodegrade under certain conditions such as heat, air, moisture, or sunlight, aiming to return the material to nature. Polymateria's plastic alternative, used in food packaging and cups, is now being adapted for other products like face masks, women's hygiene products, and wipes. The script explains the three core aspects of the biodegradation process: time control to transition the plastic into a wax-like state, and the subsequent attraction of microbes and fungi to fully break down the material within a year. The video contrasts the transformation of these biodegradable plastics with traditional microplastics, emphasizing the harmless and natural decomposition process.

Keywords

💡Biodegradable

Biodegradable refers to the ability of materials to break down or decompose naturally, typically through the action of microorganisms, into simpler substances. In the context of the video, biodegradable plastics are highlighted as a solution to the plastic pollution problem. The video mentions that companies are creating products that will biodegrade under certain conditions like heat, air, moisture, or sunlight, aiming to return the material back into nature.

💡Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic products in the environment, causing harm to wildlife and ecosystems. The video script emphasizes the issue of plastic pollution by stating that all the plastic ever created still exists in some form, highlighting the persistence of plastic in the environment.

💡Polymateria

Polymateria is a company mentioned in the script that is revolutionizing plastic by creating biodegradable alternatives. The company's approach to tackling plastic pollution involves developing materials that can degrade under specific conditions, thus reducing the environmental impact of plastic waste.

💡Biodegradation

Biodegradation is the process by which organic materials are broken down into simpler forms by the action of living organisms, such as bacteria and fungi. The video discusses how Polymateria's plastic alternative undergoes biodegradation, turning from a plastic-like state into a wax-like state, which then attracts microbes to fully break down the material.

💡Time Control

Time control, as mentioned in the script, refers to the ability to manipulate the rate at which a material degrades. Polymateria's technology allows for the customization of the degradation timeline for their plastic alternatives, which is crucial for ensuring that the material breaks down at an appropriate time after use.

💡Microplastics

Microplastics are small plastic particles that are a consequence of the breakdown of larger plastic materials in the environment. The video contrasts biodegradable waxes with microplastics, showing how the former can transform and be harmlessly reintegrated into nature, unlike the persistent and harmful microplastics.

💡Enzymes

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions. In the video, Epoch Biodesign is described as a company that designs enzymes to break down plastic waste. These enzymes enable the transformation of plastics into their building blocks, which can then be used to create new products, showcasing a potential circular economy for plastics.

💡Circular Economy

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at minimizing waste and making the most of resources by recycling and reusing them. The video touches on this concept through the work of Epoch Biodesign, which uses enzymes to break down plastics and convert them into new products, thus contributing to a more sustainable use of resources.

💡Wax-like State

The term 'wax-like state' is used in the script to describe an intermediate stage in the biodegradation process of Polymateria's plastic alternative. After the initial breakdown, the material transitions into a state that is soft and malleable, similar to wax, before it is further broken down by microbes.

💡Self-Destructing

Self-destructing, in the context of the video, refers to the intentional design of materials to break down or degrade after a certain period or under specific conditions. This is a key feature of Polymateria's plastic alternatives, allowing for a controlled lifecycle of the plastic products to mitigate environmental pollution.

💡Banana Peel

The banana peel is used in the script as an analogy for the biodegradation process of Polymateria's plastic. Just as a banana peel decomposes naturally and quickly in nature, the company's plastics are designed to biodegrade in a similar manner, highlighting the goal of creating plastics that can be fully reintegrated into the environment.

Highlights

A generation is demanding change in plastic usage.

Plastic's negative side effects are acknowledged, but its benefits are also recognized.

All plastic ever created still exists, highlighting a major environmental issue.

Companies are creating biodegradable plastics that can degrade under certain conditions.

Polymateria's plastic alternative is used for food packaging and cups, and is now expanding to other products.

The company is developing materials for face masks, women's hygiene products, and wipes.

The biodegradation process is controlled by time, with a 'self-destructing' feature.

The material transitions from a plastic-like state to a wax-like state within weeks.

The wax attracts microbes and fungi to aid in full biodegradation.

The biodegradation process results in a soft, powdery substance that is harmless.

The biodegradable wax behaves differently from microplastics when manipulated.

Polymateria's technology aims to address the 100 million-tonne annual plastic problem.

The company has published papers for rigorous review, showcasing transparency and commitment to the field.

Epoch Biodesign is another company focusing on plastic waste, using enzymes to break it down.

The resulting chemicals from broken-down plastics can be used to manufacture new products.

Biology enables chemical reactions at low temperatures, which is beneficial for breaking down plastics.

The challenge is not only reducing plastic production but also finding solutions for existing plastic waste.

Even if plastic production stopped today, 10 billion tons of waste would still need to be managed.

Transcripts

we are a generation demanding change

whether we like it or not we're going to

have a lot of plastic for the

foreseeable

whilst it definitely has its negative

side effects it's also important to

recognize that it's a pretty amazing

material that has enabled so much a

major issue is that all of the plastic

that's ever been created still exists in

some form somewhere

one of the companies that's

revolutionizing plastic has been

creating products that will biodegrade

in certain conditions like in heat air

moisture or sunlight the aim is to

return the material back into nature but

as much as they possibly can anyway

polymateria's plastic alternative has

been around for a few years now it's

used for food packaging and some cups

but now the company's moving into a

slightly different type of material in

fact replacing what's used in some

products that you might not even know

was plastic in the first place think

face masks women's hygiene products or

wipes

what we're doing for wipes diapers tea

bags they all have their unique use case

if you want and also time frame within

which we would want biodegradation to

happen how does the deformation process

actually work there's three core things

the time control piece that's the

self-destructing part so that's that's

something that at point of manufacture

we can dial that up or dial that down

that's literally within a couple of

weeks is taking it from its plastic-like

state into its wax-like state but that's

not where it stops the third thing that

we're doing is we make that wax draw in

microbes and fungi and bacteria and that

is the way we're able to get those

materials fully Back To Nature in less

than a year

well they seem just the same as the

plastic version they feel the same they

look the same but once they start to

transform that's when things are very

different

and this is what it looks like it's very

very soft and apparently is completely

harmless looks like powder but sort of

disappears

I wanted to show you how a biotransforms

a

wax looked like and felt like a versus a

microplastic

and that's what you've touched a bit

before yes and we've put that in in this

Avail

um to show you how it behaves when you

hit it slightly

now it's completely melting and you can

see that the other bit of plastic is

completely the same as I would expect to

see it's just the same it just looks the

same and now if I take this one and I

tilt it

it flows like a candle what you will

have in nature is that you will have a

bottle bio transforming and becoming a

wax and that wax will then be fully

biodegraded like a banana peel or apple

core by Nature we've looked at other

companies before who are trying to solve

the plastic problem what is it about

your products that means they can

actually do the job we've published more

papers in this space than anyone else so

we put our data out there to be

rigorously reviewed by other experts in

this field but we're really trying to do

is create something that's capable of

moving the needle on 100 million tonne

per annum problem they are continuing to

develop the technology and whilst

there's no Silver Bullet there are

alternatives being worked on founded by

22 year old Jacob Nathan Epoch biodesign

is looking to change the way plastic is

broken down we design enzymes that break

down plastic waste and the resulting

chemicals that we make from that we can

manufacture into all sorts of new

products like paints Coatings

fertilizers cleaning products and

ultimately new plastic

the beauty of biology is that it enables

us to carry out chemical reactions at

very very low temperatures and so we can

use enzymes that enable these sorts of

chemical reactions to happen at very low

temperatures and pressures to break down

those Plastics into those building

blocks to make those new Plastics again

there are two sides to this equation one

is we make way too much of the stuff but

the other is we don't actually know what

to do with most of it once we're done

using it right even if we stopped making

Plastics tomorrow we still have 10

billion tons that are just sort of

sitting around taking up space and we

might want to do something with that

[Music]