How food can be grown using fertilizer from plastic waste

By Gwyn Wright via SWNS

Edible crops could be grown using fertilizer made from plastic waste, according to a new study.

Plastics made using biomass -known as 'bioplastics'- can be chemically turned back into fertilizer, say scientists.

A research team from the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan believe that new technology can help fight pollution and resource depletion, and help meet the growing demand for food as the world's population grows.

They used isosorbide carbonate, a bio-based polycarbonate that has been touted as an alternative to toxic oil-based polycarbonates, in their experiment.

The isosorbide carbonate is made using eco-friendly material derived from glucose called isosorbide.

When links between the two materials are broken using ammonia, an eco-friendly fertilizer called urea is produced.

The scientists say few studies have probed how all the by-products of isosorbide carbonate can be used.

The scientists probed how urea could be produced in water at 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), and atmospheric pressure, to avoid using organic solvents or too much energy.

However they found that, while they could produce urea like this, the isosorbide carbonate had not degraded properly.

When they repeated their tests at 90 degrees Celsius(194 degrees Fahrenheit) they found everything broke down in six hours.

They also found plants treated with isosorbide carbonate degradation products grew faster than those treated with just urea.

Professor Daisuke Aoki said: “This reaction occurs without any catalyst, showing it can be easily performed using aqueous ammonia and heating.

“This procedure is operationally simple and environmentally friendly from the viewpoint of chemical recycling."

Aoki added: “We are convinced our work represents a milestone towards developing sustainable and recyclable polymer materials in the near future.

"The era of ‘bread from plastics’ is just around the corner!’’

The research was published in the journal Green Chemistry.