We all know serious impacts of plastic pollution; but still the use of plastics is still on the rise.
Considering the serious consequences of plastic pollution, Researchers from the University Of Valle De Atemajac in Zapopan, Mexico have come up with a biodegradable plastic made from the juice of the prickly pear cactus.
A natural ‘substitute’
Unlike tradition plastics, mostly comprised of juiced cactus leaves and doesn’t involve crude oil. This non-toxic plastic takes one month to biodegrade in soil, and a week in water. If this fake plastic makes its way into the ocean, it won’t harm any marine animal.
Sandra Pascoe Ortiz, the University of the Valley of Atemajac engineer who developed the material, said, ““It’s a non-toxic product. All the materials we use can be ingested both by humans or animals. And they wouldn’t cause any harm.”
Cactus bioplastics could replace most single-use plastic products
Researchers are hopeful that cactus bioplastics could be used to make shopping bags, cosmetic containers, and toys. However at present they’re testing many other factors like the weight bearing capacity to determine its other uses.
Pascoe Ortiz said, “I hope the cactus-based plastic will help reduce the impact of solid waste in Mexico and around the world,”
