Plastic That Dissolves in Seawater

Scientists have been working for years on producing a biodegradable plastic, without much success, until now. In what promises to be a boon to the cruise industry and the environment, researchers have finally found a way to produce a plastic that will disintegrate in saltwater. Soon, you may be able to toss those water bottles and eating utensils right off the bow without giving it a second thought.

The Plastics Problem

Cruise ships, merchant sea vessels and military vessels all produce enormous amounts of plastic waste at sea that must be stored onboard until the vessel reaches port and it can be "safely" disposed of on land. (Of course, the plastic is no better for a landfill, but the fact remains that it is illegal to dump plastic at sea, in accordance with international maritime law.)

Any conventional plastic takes years to dissolve in seawater, and the process emits toxins that are extremely harmful to marine organisms.

The New Plastic Solution

Researchers at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) have found a way to create environmentally-friendly plastic that is capable of disintegrating in seawater in as few as 20 days. The byproducts of the disintegration process are all nontoxic and they range from water, to carbon dioxide, lactic acid, and L-lysine, all of which are found in nature.

The same degradable polymer used in surgical sutures would be used in the creation of this new plastic. And since these plastics are denser than saltwater, they will have a tendency to sink rather than float. Not only is this better for marine life, but it should reduce the amount of plastic waste that washes ashore and pollutes beaches. (Perhaps there's a day in the future without any more used needles washing up on the beaches.)

The new plastics are not quite ready for consumer use yet; they still have to be tested in freshwater, and they are still undergoing government trials to confirm the degradation testing results. Additionally, there are the maritime dumping laws to be addressed and changed when it becomes appropriate.

There will probably be demand from environmental groups for oversight to prevent the "inadvertent" disposal of non-degradable plastics at the same time. Unscrupulous ship owners would likely take advantage of a change in the law and dump all plastics at sea. That would be disastrous for the environment and for sea life.

The study leader was Robson F. Storey, Ph.D., a professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at USM in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. This research was unveiled at the symposium, "Polymer Performance, Degradation, and Materials Selection" on 3/27/2007, during the week-long meeting of the national American Chemical Society in Chicago.