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The good news, however, is still just a silver lining. For, the studies are not yet complete and the generality of the method to other commonly used plastic, namely, polyethylene, has not been explored.

New Delhi , Aug. 8

PLASTICS may soon not be an environmental hazard any more. If the research taken up in this regard by the Pune-based National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) is any indication, the day is not too far when plastics will be converted into biodegradable material.

According to an official statement here issued by the Ministry of Science and Technology, the research work at NCL is poised for some breakthrough shortly as the scientists have made significant progress in their exploratory studies by which a conventional non-biodegradable plastic can be rendered biodegradable. This is by attaching, chemically, a sugar moiety to polystyrene. Compared to ordinary polystyrene, the sugar-modified polystyrene showed a greater ease for bio-degradation.

The good news, however, is still just a silver lining. For, the studies are not yet complete and the generality of the method to other commonly used plastic, namely, polyethylene, has not been explored.

Also, the mechanism of biodegradation is yet to be established, apart from its industrial application and commercial viability.

The statement notes that once the commercial viability and utility of the technique is established, only then its commercialisation and marketability can be studied.

Waste plastic carry-bags and recycled plastic items are causing a lot of concern to the green activists globally owing to the ecological damage to the environment, simply because these throw-away items are not biodegradable.

These wastes are causing innumerable problems to the civic and health authorities too.

With the awareness created of late, a number of countries have banned the use of plastic carry-bags and recycled plastics, imposing heavy fines and even imprisonment.

In India too, a number of State Governments have banned the use of such items and are trying to promote paper and recycled paper carry-bags.

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