cross-posted from: https://slrpnk.net/post/31895167
A new biodegradable bamboo plastic could replace conventional plastics, offering a fully biodegradable alternative that is durable, recyclable, and easy to manufacture at scale.
Chinese researchers have developed a biodegradable bamboo plastic that not only rivals but surpasses traditional petroleum-based plastics in strength and thermal stability while decomposing naturally within 50 days. The breakthrough, published in Nature Communications in October 2025, could revolutionize manufacturing by offering a renewable, recyclable, and high-performance alternative for industries such as automotive and infrastructure.
its already being used in toilet paper, bandaids, cups,etc. its just more expensive than regular paper.
That’s great! Can’t wait to never hear of it again!
There were a lot of adjectives used, but I didn’t see “cheaper to produce” or “more profitable” so it will be sold in niche markets and then forgotten.
Probably will just disappear.
Would be great for single year plastic items/packaging.
For some reason the article says it decomposes naturaly in 50 days and then goes on to list the automotive industry as a use. Aren’t cars supposed to last longer than 50 days outside?
If you take the seat out of your car and bury it in soil, it will start to decompose. Keeping the plastic out of ideal decomposition conditions will make it last longer.
Maybe if some of it is made of cotton (unlikely usually synthetic) or leather. Even then that will take much longer than that to decompose.
A subscription model to keep receiving new plastic parts so your car doesn’t decompose.
For the automotive industry, I think that they mean Interior parts that aren’t exposed to the weather.
Durable Biodegradable […]Stronger
🤔
Bones are durable, biodegradable and rather strong.
And have half-lives of 30-100years depending the biodiversity of the soil.😆
Don’t worry, in my experience biodegradable usually means under very specific circumstances which are not easily met. Even if, like in this case, it is presented as “just bury it for 50 days and it’s gone”. It’s still a great discovery if the other claims are true though.
Well yeah. If it was readily biodegradable under normal conditions then it would biodegrade on the shelf or while in use. We already have materials like that: fruit peels.
Sure, but I was referring to stuff like biodegradable tea bags or those nespresso cups that are only degrable under high temperature and long residence times, so they’ll stay plastic forever in the composter.
I’d prefer the scientific terms they mean, instead of all these laymen contradictions. I’m just pointing them out, to state the blatant.
