Materials scientists are cooking up environmentally friendly polymers from natural sources like silk, plant fibers and whole algae. Economics and acceptance remain hurdles. By Boyce Upholt / Knowable ...

These buzzwords are increasingly appearing on utensils, to-go cups and food containers and other kinds of disposable packaging. While you might think the dizzying array of products could be a simple ...

It was hailed as a wonderful thing: During the oil boom in the 1950s, chemists began to render the waste coming out of refineries into plastic — plastic packaging, plastic furniture, plastic fibers ...

Regulatory questions cloud the segment’s future, as do concerns about feedstocks, material capabilities and compostability ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. The use of plastic across all facets of human life has grown more ...

Researchers have developed a way to make a promising, sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics more biodegradable. A team has made a bio-based polymer blend that's compostable in both home ...

If you've ever been turning over your compost heap and found months-old "compostable" plastic items that were still mostly intact – well, you're not alone. New research states that 60% of such ...

TIPA, a compostable packaging company, makes fully compostable bags for shipping products in multiple stages of the supply chain. Swapping out traditional plastic bags in the food and fashion ...

Select Starbucks locations in 14 states have stopped using plastic cold drink cups, switching to compostable fiber-based alternatives. The change is due to local regulations and Starbucks’ ...