It is well known that plastic is a non-biodegradable material and is one of the most harmful elements. It not only is one of the biggest causes of pollution but is also harmful in terms of the toxic elements it contains. The only way of disposing off or degrading plastic is to melt it and then remold or discard it.
However, a new type of plastic has been made. The plastic, which is named PBTL, is made up of chemical building blocks called bicyclic thiolactones. According to a report published in the Daily Mail, the PBTL retains its integrity irrespective of the number of times it's broken down or reconstituted.
A part of the study reads, “the failure to address end-of-life issues of today's plastics has not only accelerated the depletion of finite natural resources but also caused severe worldwide plastics pollution problems and resulted in enormous energy and materials value loss.”
The study also highlights how this new plastic will be more beneficial. It states that the design of this next-generation polymers will push closed-loop life cycles toward a circular economy.
What cannot be ignored is the fact that this type of plastic cannot be recycled with other varieties of plastic. This may also lead to hesitation among large-scale users when it comes to dealing with recycling and its cost. Further, this plastic will need a separate section of its own so that it does not get mixed up.
Meanwhile, more than 300 million tons of plastic is produced every year. Out of this around half of it is for one time use and throw.
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