Single-use plastic menace: Scientists unveil waterproof plant-based material that breaks down 300x faster than plastic

Plastic pollution isn’t just washing up on our shores — it’s choking marine life, infiltrating food chains, and taking centuries to disappear. Despite global pledges and policy nudges, single-use plastics — bags, straws, cups, wrappers — continue to dominate shelves and oceans alike. This toxic trail of microplastics and chemical leachates can outlast generations. The need for a swift, scalable alternative has never been more urgent.

A breakthrough in materials science may finally offer a way out. Scientists at the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) have developed a plant-based, waterproof cellulose material that mimics the function of disposable plastic — minus the environmental fallout.

Led by Noriyuki Isobe, the team engineered the material using a lithium bromide solution to dissolve cellulose, a fibrous compound found in plant cell walls. Unlike previous methods that relied on coagulants or additives, this process allows the material to dry into shape naturally, maintaining both rigidity and waterproofing.

“We have now developed a regenerated cellulose material from this solvent system that is not only shapeable but also has the potential to serve as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics,” said Isobe.

In trials, the team fashioned the substance into transparent paperboard cups that held boiling water for over three hours without significant leakage. But its most striking feature is what happens after use: complete biodegradation in deep-sea conditions within 300 days, far outpacing the breakdown rate of conventional plastics. In shallower waters, degradation occurs even faster.

And it’s not just made from virgin plant sources. The material can also be produced from recycled cellulose — think old clothing — boosting its eco-credentials and cutting down the need for new raw materials.

Still, the innovation hasn’t silenced all critics. Bhavna Middha of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology cautioned against the broader normalisation of single-use items. “There should be an objection to using anything single-use unless it’s really required by people or groups that really need single-use disposable materials – for example, the medical industry.”

Yet, for every day throwaways — cutlery, packaging and coffee cups — this cellulose-based alternative could offer a critical lifeline to oceans and ecosystems drowning in plastic.