Fargo, N.D. (AP) A group of North Dakota State University researchers is trying to come up with a way to make plastic out of crops, so they can be broken down by a special light and turned into another product.
If the technology can be developed, no longer would bags and other long-lasting plastic products pollute ditches, parks and waterways.
The NDSU scientists are focusing on using oilseed from crops and other materials to generate building blocks of molecules that are made into polymers to create plastics.
A paper on the team's successful initial experiment was published earlier this month in a prominent international chemistry journal.
The researchers say further study is needed to evaluate the durability and strength of potential plastics derived from biomass before looking into the potential of commercial products.