Hardware Podcasts

40. Why Plastic Eating Enzymes Will Save Our Oceans

The Next Byte Podcast · 19 Oct 2021 · 24m

What this episode covers

Hosts Daniel and Forbode discuss two sustainability initiatives: Patagonia’s partnership with startup Bureo to upcycle abandoned fishing nets into the 'NetPlus' material for apparel, and Samsara, a spin-out from the Australian National University, which uses enzymes to achieve 'infinite recycling' of polyethylene. They highlight how enzymatic digestion preserves polymer strength compared to mechanical recycling, allowing for true circularity in products like water bottles and textiles. The episode also touches on the economic and environmental failures of current plastic recycling infrastructure.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Patagonia, Bureo, Samsara, Australian National University, Woolworths, Mouser Electronics
Products
NetPlus
Materials
Polyethylene, High Density Polyethylene, PET, Polyamid

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