Chemists developed two sustainable plastic alternatives to polyethylene, derived from plants, that can be recycled with a recovery rate of more than 96%, as low-waste, environmentally friendly replacements to conventional fossil fuel-based plastics. (Nature, 17 Feb)

[u/mvea]

https://academictimes.com/new-plant-based-plastics-can-be-chemically-recycled-with-near-perfect-efficiency/

[u/pegothejerk]

Amazon, a few chip/snack companies, and a Japanese exported of chicken, beef, and seafood already use plant based plastics in their packaging. Unfortunately there will be little attention of the conversion to more green packaging if it's done right, because a good replacement is one you won't notice. Current bioplastics will break down in 90 days, and the newest ones, like Kuraray's Plantic material, a blend of plant-based resin and post-consumer plastic, just dissolve in water.

[u/brunes → u/pegothejerk]

The problem is that for a huge number of plastic use cases, you specifically don't want them to break down in 90 days. You want it to be shelf stable for at least 1-2 years. Imagine you're walking through the grocery store and there is ketchup just leaking out of the bottle because the sunlight was hitting it in the wrong way.

[u/jo-z → u/[deleted]]

There's definitely a giant bottle of ketchup in my fridge that's at least a year old.

[u/StuntmanSpartanFan → u/jo-z]

You and everyone else reading this comment I'd imagine