How Plastic Made With Algae Can Clean Waterways | World Wide Waste

A tech startup can turn harmful algae into plastic foam, which could help clean up waterways and reduce demand for plastic. Mixing algae into plastic also traps carbon inside the products, which could be an important tool for fighting climate change. We went to Mississippi and Dongguan, China, to see how it's done.

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How Plastic Made With Algae Can Clean Waterways | World Wide Waste

[LordoftheGrunts]

They don't turn algae into plastic. They use it as a minor filler material.

[jovanoerrisnugroho]

If you really want to solve the issue of algal blooms, start by tackling the issue at the source, which is excessive use of chemical fertilizer (run-off)

[haihanguyen]

Come on guys, watch till the end of the video, they discuss every environmental aspect of the product. Very holistic and transparent. Climate change does not just revolve around CO2; the guy certainly doesn’t claim this his product is a substitution for conventional plastics, but it has less environmental impacts and is a solution to clean eutrophication in water bodies. By monetizing algae, the project (business) is viable.

[karmakittenz]

Hemp plastic: Am I joke to you?
Seriously, hemp can replace nearly every material, replenish soil, grows fast and cheap. Plus we have the tech to implement it right now.

[uncleruckus]

You're not turning algae to plastic, just mixing it in. You can't fool Uncle Sam.

[alilicollection]

"They blend the powder with plastic" so it's a joke at the end

[maxair]

This is just little to no reduction towards plastic use, I think the real good part is when they suck out algae from ponds & sea coz algae blocks light and reduce oxygen in the water.

[alilabeebalkoka]

Algae has value in my garden when I scoop it up and throw it into my mulch piles. It gives my plants nutrients. I use it and green food waste by just throwing it next to the plants. The trees seem to do well with this system and it keeps the weeds down as well.

[jamesthesuperdued]

So it’s just algae mixed with plastic?

[liliana]

Gotta give them credit for coming up with a different alternative other than utilizing petrol as a raw material. As this company evolves, it would be great to see how they continue to reduce emissions and be more thorough about what they stand for. A good start would be not to put your algae pellets in plastic bags! 😅

[lutongbaru]

BS, tell us again if it's 90% algae pallets, or remove plastic pallets entirely. Then it's a good story. It's a good start tho, but it's still most plastic.

[ItsMicah_]

I like how they say that keeping the plastic from degrading is actually a good thing! Yes! Make the garbage patch larger!

[rjblitz]

So basically 5.25 % algae in the final product 😂. That percentage could be sawdust and the final product wouldn't be any different!!

[sie]

I just read about an Australian brewing company that makes algae to capture the co2 from the brewing process

[YeetDisDude]

Mixing plastic with algae is turning algae to plastic?

Makes sense

[jcouch]

As someone recovering from blue green algae exposure (think bad cold), I hope they make more efforts to remove the algae blooms from water and find a way to use it even more effectively

[ajdexter]

Brilliant you removed the carbon dioxide but you’re putting it back in by flying the pellets halfway across the world…

[budias]

The idea is purpose to use something harmful, minimize the damage with some effective and sustainable ways

[alexanderstewart]

I could see the algae being used more as a container for food produce... That would be better. Or being used as a filler in compost, packaging, wall insulation etc

[charliepea]

I thought they would make plastics that is 100% from algae. They just mix the algae with existing plastics.