According to Amac News: The Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) reported that this plastic is recyclable and will help reduce environmental pollution and the accumulation of microplastics in the oceans.
This news was published by the team, led by Aida Takuzo at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science, which released its research on Friday in the American journal Science.
The team has been working on developing a material to replace conventional plastics made from fossil fuels.
The researchers stated that they have succeeded in producing a new type of plastic that is colorless and transparent and has strength and thermal resistance similar to polypropylene.
This new material is called "supramolecular plastic," referring to polymers whose structures are held together by reversible interactions.
The plastic is made by combining two ionic monomers, one of which is a common food additive used in farming, and both can be broken down by bacteria.
Aida emphasized that this new type of plastic is recyclable and biodegradable, and does not generate microplastics. He hopes that this plastic can serve multiple functions.