polyasta

Across the world there are about 6.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste. It’s in our water, our air, the fish we eat and the soil our vegetables grow in. In fact only 21% of all the plastic ever produced has been recycled or incinerated. So finding new ways to reuse it is crucial. With constant global demand for new buildings, using it to make construction […]

Polyethylene terephthalate, or PET, is a type of plastic resin as well as a form of polyester. It can be fully recycled, in which case it becomes recycled polyethylene terephthalate, or rPET. Essentially, the material is a polymer, which is made by combining purified terephthalic acid and modified ethylene glycol, both monomers. PET was originally

‘Microplastics’ is a category that scientists use for any plastics smaller than your thumbnail. Because of their small size, it’s almost unbelievable that such tiny plastics can cause so much damage in our vast oceans. As part of my graduate studies at UNC-Wilmington, I’ve learned just how much damage microplastics can do. I’m studying the