Plastic from cactus – is it the future?

By Jordan Elder, Cronkite News It might seem hard to believe, but how to deal with plastic problem may lie in prickly pear cactuses. Researchers in Mexico are making plastic out of cactus....

Mexican engineers may have found a solution to the prickly problem of plastic bag waste: make plastic out of cactus juice. The plant-based film breaks down in weeks rather than centuries.

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Engineering, Past Storyfest Entries, Sustainability

By Jordan Elder, Cronkite News

It might seem hard to believe, but how to deal with plastic problem may lie in prickly pear cactuses. Researchers in Mexico are making plastic out of cactus. The plastic made out of prickly-pear juice breaks down in weeks rather than centuries. Several companies are interested in collaborating with the researcher, who has applied for a patent for this technology. It means prickly pear plastic bags could make it to grocery stores in just a matter of years. 

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cactus, innovation, inventors, plastic, storyfest, Video

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