Plastic: the new fantastic?

Hear how听Cambridge researchers are working towards eliminating plastic waste and making best use of one of the most successful materials ever invented.

As a chemist I look at plastic and I see an extremely useful material that is rich in chemicals and energy 鈥 a material that shouldn鈥檛 end up in landfills and pollute the environment

Erwin Reisner

Plastic has become a malevolent symbol of our wasteful society. It鈥檚 also cheap, durable, flexible, waterproof, versatile, lightweight, protective and hygienic.

During the coronavirus pandemic, plastic visors, goggles, gloves and aprons have been fundamental for protecting healthcare workers from the virus. But what about the effects on the environment of throwing away huge numbers of single-use medical protection equipment? How are we to balance our need for plastic with protecting the environment?

Released on 5 June 2020, World Environment Day,听this new film听considers how society might 鈥榬eset the clock鈥 when it comes to living better with a vital material. We hear how Cambridge 探花直播's Cambridge Creative Circular Plastics Centre (CirPlas) aims to eliminate plastic waste by combining blue-sky thinking with practical measures 鈥 from turning waste plastic into hydrogen fuel, to manufacturing more sustainable materials, to driving innovations in plastic recycling in a circular economy.

鈥淧lastic is an example of how we must find ways to use resources without irreversibly changing the planet for future generations,鈥 adds Professor Erwin Reisner, who leads CirPlas, which is funded by UK Research and Innovation.

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