plastic waste management

A comprehensive experimental study of how more than 200 different flexible packaging samples behave in the most common optical sorting process generated concrete insights and will drive design recommendations for the flexible packaging sector – with CEFLEX stakeholders getting first access to insights from September 2022.

The solution that could help with the plastic pollution problem: is an enzyme that can chemically break down many bottles and packaging, sometimes within 24 hours.

Researchers at the University of Texas describe the development of a "plastic-eating enzyme" in the April 27 edition of the peer-reviewed journal Nature. They used machine learning technology to mutate the natural enzyme PETase into one that could quickly break down plastics made with the polymer polyethylene terephthalate, also called PET.

In a bid to reduce single-use plastic, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with Acharya Nagarjuna University and Ecolastic Private Limited, launched environmentally safe packaging products made from natural and plant-based food-grade materials.