Adele Peters of Fast Company reports on a new invention that removes microplastics from water.
- A research team led by Australia’s RMIT University has created a powder-like material to capture microplastics in waste treatment plants.
- The material, which is magnetic and easy to collect after cleanings, can remove microplastics from treatment plants within an hour.
- The research team is now looking to scale up its innovation for industrial and oceanic uses.
“Conventional filters used to clean up plastic can’t capture the smallest fragments, and even nano-sized filters designed specifically for the task work slowly, if at all. Clean-up approaches that accelerate the breakdown of plastic can release other pollution, and still don’t work quickly enough for wastewater treatment plants. This new technology can work within an hour, the researchers say. The plastic that’s captured can then be recycled.”
Read the full article here.
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