Plastic waste is a big problem. It's everywhere and hard to get rid of. But what if we could turn it into something useful, like medicine? Scientists have found a way to do just that. They used a common bacteria called E. coli to change plastic into a key ingredient for paracetamol, a common painkiller. Here's how it works. First, they took plastic bottles and turne...
The world is drowning in plastic and greenhouse gases. Labs are a big part of the problem. They churn out tons of plastic trash, often burned in ways that hurt the planet. To fix this, labs need to know the rules and options for going green. The Manchester Fly Facility is a good example. It helps 13 research teams work with fruit flies. In 2022, this place made abou...
Plastic recycling is a hot topic these days. One exciting development is the use of zinc-based networks to break down a common plastic called PET. These networks act like super-efficient catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions without getting used up themselves. They turn PET into something valuable: terephthalic acid. This process is a big deal because it helps r...
Plastic waste is a huge problem that everyone talks about. But, there's more to it than what we can see. Plastics are made with various additives, like plasticisers, to make them useful. When these plastics end up in water, the additives can leak out. This is bad news for aquatic life. Scientists have been studying this, but there's still a lot we don't know. The fo...
Imagine a world where tiny bugs help us clean up the massive plastic problem. That's what scientists are exploring with insect farming. The idea is to use certain insect larvae to munch on plastic waste, breaking it down into smaller pieces. This isn't a perfect solution, though, because they leave behind tiny plastic bits called microplastics. To fix this, scientist...
Ever heard of tiny plastic bits floating in the air? Surprisingly, they're everywhere! From worn-out tires to decomposing trash, these microplastics are making their way into our bodies. Recent research suggests they might be behind some serious health issues like infertility, colon cancer, and breathing problems. These microplastics are smaller than a grain of rice ...
Sorting and recycling trash is a big deal for saving resources and cleaning up the environment. Plastic waste is a key part of this process, and we're getting better at finding it by using more than one type of image. For a long time, we've used only one type of image to spot plastic waste. Now, we're starting to use two kinds of images together: one that we see wit...
Have you ever wondered if giving people the right information can change how they act? It's a big question, especially when it comes to something like managing agricultural plastic waste. The idea is simple: tell people what's good for the environment, and they'll do it. But does it really work? In a study, researchers tested this idea. They wanted to see if giving ...