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[GreenYes] Re: Biodegradable "Plastics" Distinction



I read in the latest National Geographic recently a short piece on the
biodegradability of polystyrene and was immediatly suspicious. Sounds
a lot like what you describe below - that it's still plastic.

"Polystyrene, the petroleum-based plastic popular for use in disposable
drinking cups, is rarely recycled and doesn't decompose. But
scientists recently found a way to convert the stuff into something
more ecologically friendly. After melting polystyrene into styrene
oil, they feed it to a bacterium called Pseudomonas putida that is
commonly found in soil. The resulting output from the bacteria is
biodegradable plastic."

Is National Geographic painting a misleading picture? Or are they
talking about something different that what Mattew describes?

Bretnie

Bretnie Grose
National Park Service
Pacific West Region
Seattle, WA
206-220-4289


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