Tag Archive for 'Polyethylene'

Shi et al. demonstrate that biodegradable plastics can release nanoplastics during routine use, highlighting a previously overlooked pathway of consumer exposure. Image credit: Alexas Fotos.

‘Compostable’ Coffee Cups May Shed More Plastic than the Ones They’re Meant to Replace

Aug 26, 2026 by Natali Anderson

Paper cups lined with plant-based plastic are often marketed as the eco-friendly choice at coffee shops and cafeterias. But new research by University...

Polyethylene degradation by wax worms. Left: plastic bag after exposure to about 100 wax worms for 12 hours; Right: magnification of the area indicated in the image at left. Image credit: Bombelli et al, doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.060.

Wax Moth Caterpillars Can Metabolically Degrade Plastics and Store Them as Body Fat: Study

Jul 8, 2025 by News Staff

Plastic polymers are ubiquitous in our lives, and while their resilience makes them ideal for a variety of uses, finding means to effectively dispose of...

Zhang et al studied catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics over activated carbon catalyst. Image credit: Zhang et al, doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2019.113337.

Scientists Find Way to Turn Waste Plastics into Jet Fuel-Range Hydrocarbons

Jun 4, 2019 by News Staff

In experiments described in the journal Applied Energy, a team of researchers from China and the U.S. melted plastic waste at high temperature with activated...

This image shows a wax worm chewing a hole through plastic; polyethylene debris can be seen attached to the caterpillar. Image credit: Federica Bertocchini / Paolo Bombelli / Chris Howe.

Wax Moth Caterpillars Found to Eat Polyethylene

Apr 25, 2017 by News Staff

An international team of researchers from Spain and the United Kingdom has found that a caterpillar of the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) —...