plastic waste

Toraphene notes the innovative new material is biodegradable, compostable and commercially-viable

UK Research and Innovation is supporting partnerships with researchers across 11 countries: China, Chile, Egypt, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Peru, Malawi, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Vietnam

The facility will take PET – the main material used for food and drinks packaging such as plastic bottles and certain food packaging – and convert it into raw materials for new food-grade packaging, without any waste

The projects are expected to help improve existing recycling processes that break plastics into chemical building blocks, which can then be used to make new products

The innovation could be used in large-scale industrial recycling processes and ‘could create a revolution’ in the treatment of plastic waste

Businesses that will not stop selling or supplying single-use plastic straws, cotton buds and drink stirrers could face fines

The project will produce hydrogen from plastic waste which could then be used to fuel cars, buses and heavy good vehicles

This is part of a campaign, which aims to raise awareness about the risk of microplastics spreading in the air, water and food chain

The work for the project is expected to be finalised by the end of 2023

The development of this novel enzyme has the potential to pave the way of a real transition to a circular economy, according to a new research