Plastic Pollution in the News
Plastic Pollution Proposed Solutions
June 14, 2025 – ZME Science
This Plastic Dissolves in Seawater and Leaves Behind Zero Microplastics
June 14, 2025 – New Atlas
New plastic dissolves in the ocean overnight, leaving no microplastics
June 6, 2025 – YouTube (short film)
Japanese scientists produce plastic which dissolves in seawater within hours
June 5, 2025 – YouTube
Researchers in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater
June 4, 2025 – Reuters (article)
Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater within hours
June 4, 2025 – Reuters (video)
Japan invents ocean-safe plastics | REUTERS
June 4, 2025 – The Independent
New plastic that dissolves in seawater raises hopes for tackling ocean pollution
June 4, 2025 – Facebook (Science & Nature page)
This new plastic dissolves in seawater – no microplastics, no trace
June 4, 2025 – El Cabildo
Stop everything: Japanese researchers may have invented the end of polluting plastic in the ocean
June 4, 2025 – Ecoservants Project
Japanese Scientists Develop Plastic That Dissolves in Saltwater
March 27, 2025 – RIKEN Feature Highlight
Plastic-like materials that dissolve in the sea
March 19, 2025 – Moss and Fog
Japanese Researchers Develop Recyclable Plastic That Fully Dissolves in the Ocean
December 2024 – ScienceBlog.com
Scientists Create Plastic That Safely Dissolves in Seawater, Preventing Microplastic Pollution
November 22, 2024 – RIKEN (press release)
Bye‑bye microplastics: new plastic is recyclable and fully ocean‑degradable
June 2024 – Science (peer-reviewed article)
Mechanically strong yet metabolizable supramolecular plastics by desalting upon phase separation
Related Academic Papers on Microplastics and Environmental Impact
August 2023 – arXiv
A threshold model of plastic waste fragmentation
August 2023 – arXiv
Shape matters: long-range transport of microplastic fibers in the atmosphere
August 2020 – arXiv
In-situ analysis of small microplastics in coastal surface water samples of Okinawa, Japan
Reddit Discussion and Critical Commentary
June 2025 – r/science
Scientists in Japan develop plastic that dissolves in seawater
“It apparently dissolves into safe components that can be eaten by bacteria… Turns out it’s hard. Even if something should not be exposed to elements, often it is.”
June 2025 – r/Futurology
Japanese plastic dissolves in seawater – hope or hype?
“Fast-dissolving plastic offers hope… but environmental byproducts still need study.”
June 2025 – r/UpliftingNews
Breakthrough plastic dissolves in ocean, nourishes marine microbes
“They recovered 91% of one compound, 82% of another… dissolves in 1 hour in seawater, 10 days in soil.”
NOTE: Using less plastic is the best solution to our ongoing plastic pollution problems. However, I follow the news with curiosity and hope, keeping an eye out for innovations that can safely resolve our existing and mounting plastic problem. The links to the left are articles, videos, scientific papers, and commentary on recently proposed processes that MAY help to accomplish that. However, the jury is still out on whether these new ideas have toxic side effects or caveats, and whether it is possible to scale them for system-wide global impact.