Japan-led team develops new ocean-degradable plastic

Nov 23 (NHK) - An international team led by a Japanese researcher says it has developed a new type of plastic that is durable but breaks down in seawater. It says the new plastic is recyclable and will help reduce environmental pollution and the accumulation of microplastics in the oceans.

The team, led by Aida Takuzo at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, published its research in the US journal Science on Friday.

The team was working on developing a material to replace conventional plastics made from fossil fuels.

The researchers say they came up with a new type of plastic that is colorless and transparent, and has the same strength and thermal resistance as polypropylene.

The new material is called supramolecular plastic, "polymers with structures held together by reversible interactions."

The new plastic is made by combining two ionic monomers, one of which is a common food additive and used in farming, and both can be broken down by bacteria.

Aida says the new type of plastic is recyclable and biodegradable, and does not generate microplastics.

He says he hopes that it can serve multiple functions.

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