In the United Kingdom, Teysha Technologies has developed a natural alternative to the ubiquitous thermoplastic polycarbonate. Dubbed AggiePol, the material is made from starch and agricultural wastes and can replace high-performance plastics such as those used in cars and in the medical industry.
“Until now, strategies to reduce plastic pollution have relied on changing human behavior, such as encouraging recycling and banning certain plastic items like carrier bags,” Dr. Ashlee Jahnke, Co-inventor and Head of Research at Teysha Technologies, tells British Plastics. “By considering the ultimate fate of an applications material in the initial design stage, we can reduce the environmental impacts that occur from plastics.”