Plastic may be fantastic, but it takes an awful lot of petroleum to make it. As such, efforts to cut oil use in the U.S. have produced, among other results, a budding bioplastics industry specializing in plastic manufacturing that relies less on oil for its raw material and more on biomass , carbon dioxide or even microorganisms such as Escherichia coli . Such efforts got a boost Monday when Ithaca, N.Y.–based Novomer, Inc. , announced an $800,000 effort co-funded by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to begin commercializing the company’s polypropylene carbonate (PPC) materials, made using a combination of CO2 and petroleum . [More]
How to Make Plastic with Less Petroleum–Just Add CO2
Did this article help you?
If you found this piece useful, please consider supporting our work with a small, one-time or monthly donation. Your contribution enables us to continue bringing you accurate, thought-provoking science and medical news that you can trust. Independent reporting takes time, effort, and resources, and your support makes it possible for us to keep exploring the stories that matter to you. Together, we can ensure that important discoveries and developments reach the people who need them most.