Environment: Soon biodegradable flip-flops to fight against plastic pollution? - 20 minutes
To reduce plastic pollution in the oceans, researchers at the American University of San Diego have made 100% biodegradable flip-flops. These shoes are made from a surprising material: seaweed.
Renewable polymer foam
Thanks to a viscous paste made from dehydrated algae to which certain synthetic components are added, the scientists were able to create a foam of renewable polymers.
“Most of the polymers that are used today come from petroleum and are not biodegradable,” explains Mike Burkart, professor of biochemistry at the University of San Diego. “They will often decompose into microplastics and then they disperse in our environment for hundreds or even thousands of years. "
Degradation after sixteen weeks
After performing numerous tests, scientists realized that the foams of these ecological shoes degrade very quickly in certain environments. This is particularly the case with soil and compost in which flip-flops degrade after only sixteen weeks.
The marketing of these shoes of the future is well under way. Their cost is being studied in order to make them accessible to as many people as possible.
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- 20 minutes video