Sweet solutions for plastic garbage

An Israeli researcher claims he has found a sweet solution to a problem that is causing headaches in the world - plastic goods thrown away are piled up in landfills or dumped into the sea and lost. Decades, if not for decades, to decompose.

The cup made from corn starch is currently only able to hold liquids below 50 degrees C. (Photo: Word Press).

In parallel with colleagues at Aachen University in Germany and Bath University in England, Professor Moshe Kol of Tel Aviv University School of Chemistry (TAU), Israel is using corn starch and sugar to help create the type. " green " plastics serve the production of hundreds of different items of the same strength or even more durable than common versions, made from petroleum products.

" The structure of these corn-based plastics depends on many parameters. The most important is the properties of the structural blocks, like Lego blocks, helping to hold materials together ," said Professor Kol. said in a statement from TAU this week.

Xinhua reported that Kol's early experiments had created a disposable, disposable water cup. The cup looks and feels more like a polystyrene , although liquid can only be stored below 50 degrees Celsius.

According to Professor Kol, he is improving the technology to improve heat resistance and durability of new materials. According to the professor, polylactic acids or PLA materials that the team of scientists are working on, are made of biodegradable and biodegradable plant materials such as corn, wheat or plants. sugar cane. They are currently used in the manufacture of thin film products such as bottles and bags.

Professor Kol further revealed that he is still looking for ways to develop materials as an alternative to steel and concrete in many industrial fields.The corn-based plastic will not be toxic and biodegradable within a few months, instead of centuries as the most common types today.

The Telegraph newspaper quoted some scientists as saying, the first new plastic products are expected to be available in the market within the next 2-5 years.