[wordup] Biodegradable Plastic

[Adam Shand]

Our upstairs neighbor is a local artist and just recently returned from  
the NZ Army's journey to France to bring the Unknown Soldier home.  He  
was telling us how the fields near the burial site were still littered  
with pieces of weapons.  For whatever reason this is what comes to mind  
when I think about biodegradable ammunition.

Adam.

From: http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/001696.html
More:  
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/coventry_warwickshire/ 
4056687.stm

December 06, 2004
Biodegradable Plastic
A Newly Electric Green – Sustainable Energy, Resources and Design

It's been all over the blogosphere, but we've now been asked to say a  
little something about it: researchers at the University of Warwick,  
UK, and the Pvaxx Research & Development company have come up with a  
polymer that looks and feels like any other plastic, but which  
biodegrades to soil; researchers then embedded a sunflower seed in the  
plastic, so that when discarded, a plant will grow, feeding on the  
nitrates in the biodegraded polymer. Motorola initiated the research,  
but hasn't yet decided whether to actually use the material.

While some of the coverage for the story has suggested (at least in the  
headlines) that this will lead to biodegradable mobile phones, the  
reality is at once less exciting and more practical. Although discarded  
cell phones are contributors to toxic metals in the waste stream, the  
likely initial use will be for the interchangeable cell phone covers,  
popular with the kids these days and more likely to be tossed out when  
no longer fashionable or "groovy." Moreover, biodegradable plastic  
could have much broader application than phone shells; the CNN report  
suggests that Pvaxx is already looking at uses in "electronics,  
horticulture, ammunition and household cleaning." I must admit to  
finding that particular combination of applications fascinating.

Posted by Jamais Cascio at December 6, 2004 01:22 PM