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The original was posted on /r/upliftingnews by /u/netflixchinchilla on 2025-07-19 19:21:49+00:00.

Takuzo Aiden, project lead, said “Children cannot choose the planet they will live on. It is our duty as scientists to ensure we leave them with the best possible environment.”

Aiden said that the new material is as strong as petroleum-based products but breaks down into its original components when exposed to salt. Those components can then be further processed by naturally occurring bacteria, thereby avoiding generating microplastics that can harm aquatic life and enter the food chain.

As salt is also present in soil, a piece about five centimetres (two inches) in size disintegrates on land after over 200 hours, he added.

The material can be used like regular plastic when coated, and the team are focusing their current research on the best coating methods. (Reuters 6.4.2025)