Page 59 - Plastics News August 2026
P. 59
TECHNOLOGY NEWS
preliminary evidence.The films may be suitable and other foods prone to dehydration, oxida-
for coatings, wraps or liners for fresh produce tion, browning and microbial decay.
New “Living Plastic” Self-Destructs In Just 6 Days
To demonstrate a possible real-world use, the
researchers made a wearable plastic electrode
from the living material. The device worked as
intended and then fully degraded within two
weeks afteractivation. The result suggests that
living plastics could eventually be used in prod-
ucts that need to remain durable for a limited
time but should not persist after they are dis-
carded. The team now hopes to develop a meth-
od that activates the bacterial spores in water,
esearchers have created self-destructing where a significant share of plastic pollution ac-
living plastic that uses engineered bacte- cumulates. Although the experiments focused
Rria to completely break itself down when on a single polymer, the researchers believe
activated. The material degrades in just six days the same general strategy could be adapted for
without creating microplastics, offering a po- other materials, including plastics widely used in
tential new solution for single-use plastic waste. disposable products.
Known as living plastics, these materials contain
dormant microbes capable of degrading the sur-
rounding polymer.
Priyanka +91 7738752172
Pranali +8655737467
August 2026 PLASTICS NEWS 63
