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I had a crazy thought while reading the comments here. The strength of plastic is also its weakness. They are one and the same. People talk a lot about replaci
by vagab0nd 6y ago
I had a crazy thought while reading the comments here.
The strength of plastic is also its weakness. They are one and the same. People talk a lot about replacing/removing plastic use. What if instead of trying to get rid of its weakness, thus removing its benefit, we make it even stronger. More durable, less shed, more like metal. Thus less micropastics.
Short term, this seems like a win without apparent downside. Long term, technology plus policy will eventually solve the recycling problem.
Although I don't have anything technical to back it up. Just pointing out the direction of thinking.
- XorNot 6y agoThis is actually not a bad idea at all. Plastic at macroscopic scales is easier to clean out of water ways (since you can see it) and if we could design materials with a lower bound on granulation they'd just settle out as sediment rather then being able to enter organisms. It's not really clear how you'd do that though.
- titzer 6y agoUnfortunately policy tends to be corrupted by lobbyists. One thing I can assure you is that profiteers are gonna keep profiteering. If your plan in any way shape or form relies on people volunteering reducing their income, profits, or revenues, fat chance.
- vagab0nd 6y agoSure, agreed. But we need to do something. I'm arguing what that something should be. How we achieve that, or can it even be done is a different story.