New Bioplastic Degrades Rapidly in Ocean, Surpassing Paper

Researchers have developed a foamed version of cellulose diacetate that breaks down 15 times faster than traditional plastics in seawater.

Scientists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution discovered a new version of cellulose diacetate (CDA) that degrades rapidly in marine environments.
The foamed CDA material loses 65-70% of its mass in 36 weeks, significantly faster than solid CDA and even paper.
This advancement is seen as a promising replacement for non-biodegradable materials like Styrofoam, commonly found in single-use plastics.
The research involved collaboration with Eastman, a company that is already using foamed CDA to produce compostable trays.
Foamed CDA products are designed to be a sustainable, scalable solution to reduce plastic pollution in oceans.