Growing Plastic

Massachusetts-based Metabolix Inc. has created a variety of switchgrass that produces plastic in their leaf tissues. Metabolix recently completed greenhouse trials showing that not only they can produce plastic out of plants, but they can also use the biomass remains to produce biofuels.

Produced by Aspasia Daskalopoulou of Boston University's Center for Science and Medical Journalism.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Daskalopoulou
• plastics
• bioplastics
• biofuels
• Metabolix
• Mirel
• biodegradable
• compost
• environment
• green
• switchgrass
• energy
• products
• genetics
• engineering
• genes
• molecules
• Cambridge
• Massachusetts

[ScienceMetropolis]

I'm not affiliated. I am a science writer,but for this video, I was just the narrator :) I can only guess that the plants are not meant to be grown outside of the laboratory. Though genetically altered, the seed is natural and though the grass is non-toxic, it's more for commercial production of plastic products than for food. Definitely send Metabolix a message if you're interested in the potential of their product, I'm sure they'd be happy to talk to you.

[blessedRthemeek]

I am interested in this at the standpoint of propagation...what of the seed?...do these grasses reproduce the polymer. How safe is it for grazing( in other words, is it harmful to wildlife; deer, etc.)

I would be interested in growing this in an controled environment such as hydroponics.

I am also interested if these polymers could be adaptable as a resin.

Are you affiliated with Metabolix Inc. ?

[ScienceMetropolis]

Good question. This has two useful properties. The first is to produce plastics that don't fill up in landfills. If you can create plastics from natural materials, it will also break down naturally. The second is that plastics are getting a bad rap for infiltrating our bodies and wrecking havoc with our and other organism's hormones, this would be a much safer alternative.

[Slarty252]

So how useful could this be?