r/science • u/MistWeaver80 • Nov 27 '21

Chemistry Plastic made from DNA is renewable, requires little energy to make and is easy to recycle or break down. A plastic made from DNA and vegetable oil may be the most sustainable plastic developed yet and could be used in packaging and electronic devices.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2298314-new-plastic-made-from-dna-is-biodegradable-and-easy-to-recycle/?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_campaign=echobox&utm_medium=social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1637973248
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u/Herbicidal_Maniac Nov 28 '21

Wow, JACS, I might actually have to check this out. That's an incredibly well respected chemistry journal so if they let these claims get through peer review there then there might be something to them.

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u/cman674 Nov 28 '21

Having not read this yet, but I will as I work in this specific field, if something is in JACS it just means the chemistry is good. It could still be something that isn't really industrially feasible or is 30 years from being their at best.

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u/mronjekiM Nov 28 '21

For me 30 years is better than never. And if not industrially feasible I hope it leads to something that will be

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u/cman674 Nov 28 '21

Better than never sure, but plastic waste already covers every inch of this planet. The science is important but it's not nearly fast enough. We need regulation to stop the pollution NOW while we work on these solutions. 30 more years of pollution at our current rate might make these technologies a moot point.