Environmentally-friendly plastics made from corn or sugar cane are made with some crude oil derivatives. Researchers at the University of Bath have shown that a waste product from pine trees could lead to a fully renewable plastic that is free from fossil fuels. The waste product is Pinene which is a chemical that makes pine trees smell and it is also a waste product of the paper industry. Plastic made from this is very flexible, and free of fossil fuels. The new plastic could be a replacement for single use plastics and a range of medical uses like implants. The researchers are also working on types of plastics using limonene, a waste chemical from the citrus industry.
TreehuggerWhy not share this article?
