Numerous plastics labeled as biodegradable only decompose under industrial composting

conditions. However, researchers at the University of Bath have devised a method to facilitate
the breakdown of plastics using UV light.

Due to growing public concern about plastic waste, Polylactic acid (PLA), derived from lactic
acid produced through sugar fermentation, has emerged as a renewable alternative to petroleum-
based plastics. Its biodegradability has been highlighted, though it has limited efficacy in natural
settings like soil and seawater. PLA predominantly degrades under high-temperature, high-
humidity industrial composting, which is impractical for household composting.

Innovatively, scientists from the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (CSCT) at the
University of Bath have developed an approach to enhance the biodegradability of these plastics
in natural surroundings.

By integrating varying quantities of sugar molecules into the polymer, the team has adjusted the
plastic's degradability. A mere three percent inclusion of sugar polymer units into PLA led to a
remarkable 40% degradation within six hours of exposure to UV light.

Significantly, this technology aligns with current plastic manufacturing processes, enabling rapid
testing and potential integration within the plastics industry.

In a publication titled "Chemical Communications," the researchers anticipate that their findings
will guide the plastics industry in rendering plastic waste more biodegradable post-product
lifecycle.

Dr. Antoine Buchard, a Royal Society University Research Fellow and Polymer Chemistry
Reader at CSCT, spearheaded the study, with support from the Royal Society. He emphasizes
that while many plastics are touted as biodegradable, this applies primarily to disposal in
industrial waste composters; in domestic compost heaps, these plastics can endure for years.

The majority of PLA plastics consist of lengthy polymer chains that prove resistant to enzymatic
and aqueous breakdown. The research introduces sugars into the polymer structure, forming
bonds susceptible to UV light-induced cleavage. This weakens the plastic, resulting in smaller
polymer chains that are more vulnerable to hydrolysis.

The potential outcome is heightened biodegradability of the plastic in natural settings such as
oceans or garden compost heaps. While the technique's real-world application and testing under
sunlight remain pending, the researchers anticipate that their technology could ultimately lead to
plastics that remain robust during use but readily break down when reuse and recycling are no
longer viable.