Local team designs 100% biodegradable plastic bag

South Africans will soon be able to dispose of their plastic bags along with the rest of their waste without having to worry about any possible negative effects on the environment. A TimesLIVE report notes that a team of local scientists from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Polymer and Composite Research Group in Port Elizabeth broke new ground when they recently developed 100% biodegradable plastic bags made from agricultural by-products. The maize and sugar cane bio-based bags are completely biodegradable in mud‚ soil‚ water and compost and break down completely in just three to six months. So advanced is the technology that the bags can also be recycled and major retailers such as Woolworths and Pick n Pay are already in line to test the product in a pilot phase. CSIR researcher Sudhakar Muniyasamy‚ who led the team that made the discovery‚ reportedly said: ‘These biodegradable plastic bags can improve market opportunities and end-user industry and reduce the amount of plastic waste in South Africa.’